Bhubaneswar: Police have formed special teams to crack the murder case of an elderly woman whose body was allegedly buried under a concrete structure inside a rented house in the Kumbharapada area of Puri city, officials said on Tuesday.
Puri SP Prateek Singh said police have launched a detailed probe into the incident and constituted separate teams to collect evidence, gather technical intelligence and trace the suspected accused.
“The investigation was started yesterday (August 24), and the post-mortem was conducted today in the presence of the IIC to ensure that all procedures are followed properly and scientifically. A forensic team has also collected evidence from the spot,” Singh said while speaking to the media.
He said one team has been tasked with gathering information about the suspected person identified by the deceased’s son as being involved in the incident, while another team is working on technical intelligence.
“All the teams are working to ascertain the reason behind the murder and arrest the accused. We hope to detect the case as soon as possible,” the SP said.
Police have also sought the post-mortem report from the forensic department at the earliest, as the motive behind the alleged murder is yet to be established. Singh said the report would be crucial to the investigation.
The incident came to light around 10:30 pm on Monday (August 24) after landlord Manorama Sahoo, who lives in another portion of the rented house, alerted police following a foul smell emanating from a locked room.
Police subsequently searched the premises and allegedly found the woman’s body buried in the kitchen. The body had reportedly been covered with a concrete structure, apparently in an attempt to conceal it.
The deceased’s son, Madan Dalei (40), originally from Parlakhemundi in Gajapati district, is reportedly absconding, and a search is on to trace and arrest him.
Police are now trying to trace Dalei and establish the circumstances leading to the woman’s death. The exact motive behind the alleged murder is yet to be ascertained.
Further details are expected after the post-mortem and forensic reports are received.
