Bhubaneswar: In a sensational twist to a 2024 rape case, the accused allegedly shot himself in an attempt to falsely implicate the victim’s husband.
The incident took place late Saturday night under the jurisdiction of Balipatna police station on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. Police have arrested three persons in connection with the incident.
The accused, identified as Dipti Ranjan Mohapatra alias Kuna of Guapur village, is currently undergoing treatment at a city hospital. His associates—Amaresh Pradhan of Nayapalli and Tofan Bisoi alias Banguru of Bharatpur Basti—have been taken into custody for aiding the act.
According to police, Mohapatra’s injury was self-inflicted and part of a pre-planned strategy to trap the victim’s husband in a fabricated criminal case.
“During the investigation, we found that Dipti had conspired to frame the victim’s husband and deliberately shot himself. We initially suspected a self-inflicted wound due to the absence of typical close-range blackening marks. Our team cracked the case within 10 hours,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena at a press conference on Sunday.
A 9mm pistol used in the incident was recovered, along with four live rounds. An empty cartridge was also found at the scene. Police said Mohapatra’s associates helped him arrange the firearm and later hide it.
Meanwhile, high drama unfolded outside Balipatna police station after the accused’s mother attempted self-immolation using kerosene. She was quickly stopped by police personnel. Claiming her son is innocent, she alleged he was being framed in a false case.
“My son’s mental condition has been unstable since his previous jail term. I do not know if he shot himself or someone else. If he is sent to jail again, my husband and I—both aged over 60—will set ourselves on fire in front of the police station,” she said.
