Bhubaneswar: A dedicated police team is probing the death of Chauliaganj police station inspector-in-charge (IIC) Beauty Mohanty, with investigators examining all possible angles, including forensic and financial evidence, Cuttack deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said on Monday. He urged people not to spread unverified rumours, saying the investigation was still at a preliminary stage.
Addressing mediapersons, the DCP described the incident as “unfortunate” and said senior officers have been supervising the investigation since the day Mohanty’s body was found hanging inside her official restroom at the Chauliaganj police station on Saturday morning (July 4).
“A dedicated team has been working on the case from the day of the incident. An Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and two inspectors are closely monitoring the investigation. During the preliminary inquiry, our scientific team and police personnel searched the premises for any documents or handwritten notes, but nothing was recovered,” Dnyandeo said.
He said Mohanty’s mobile phone has been seized and sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL)’s Cyber Forensic Division for detailed examination. The investigating team has sought priority analysis, while another police team visited the laboratory on Monday to expedite the forensic process.
The DCP said investigators are also scrutinising Mohanty’s bank accounts and other financial transactions as part of the probe. The postmortem report is expected to be collected on Tuesday, which, he said, would provide further leads.
“We have also questioned the family members. The investigation is still in its preliminary stage, and every possible angle is being examined. I appeal to people through the media not to spread unverified rumours,” he added.
Mohanty, who was posted as the IIC of Chauliaganj police station, was found hanging inside her official restroom on the first floor of the police station on Saturday morning. She had been staying alone in the official quarters, while her husband, Samir Swain, a software engineer, works in Mumbai. Her parents live in the Cuttack Sadar area.
Police personnel grew suspicious after repeated phone calls to Mohanty went unanswered. After receiving no response despite knocking on the restroom door, they alerted senior officers. The door was later broken open, and Mohanty was found hanging from the ceiling. Her body was subsequently sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital for postmortem examination.
Meanwhile, the Odisha Police Officers’ Association on Sunday (July 5) demanded a high-level investigation into Mohanty’s death and sought submission of the inquiry report within 30 days.
The association has urged the state government to ensure a fair, transparent and time-bound investigation into the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death.
