Bhubaneswar: A woman from Ratagarh village under Banki police limits in Cuttack district allegedly staged her own drowning in the Mahanadi river to flee with her boyfriend to Puri. She was later traced along with her partner.
According to reports, on Monday morning, during the ‘Khudurukuni’ idol immersion, the woman was suspected to have drowned. Puja materials and some of her belongings were found on the riverbank, triggering panic in the locality. Residents feared she had been swept away by the strong current.
Fire personnel carried out intensive search operations in the river for three days but failed to find any trace of her. Investigations later revealed that the woman had crossed the river and escaped with her boyfriend.
The case took a twist when police traced the woman, identified as Swati (name changed), in Chudanga Sahi of Puri town, where she was staying with her partner. The duo was detained by Puri Town police on Tuesday night.
Confirming the development, Banki IIC Dillip Kumar Mardaraj Bhuyan said, “Today, the woman’s husband informed me that she was at Puri Town police station. After receiving the information, we sent a team to bring her back. Further details will be known after her return.”
