Deogarh: In a horrifying case of domestic violence, a woman was allegedly burned to death by her husband at Rengali village in Saruali Gram Panchayat under Barkote police limits in Deogarh district. The incident took place on Wednesday.
The deceased, identified as 35-year-old Sabita Nayak, was allegedly set ablaze by her husband, Bijay Nayak, after years of tension in their marriage over the couple’s inability to have children. The two had been married since 2009 following a love marriage.
According to sources, Bijay had been physically abusing Sabita for several years and often consumed alcohol. On Wednesday, he reportedly poured kerosene on Sabita and set her on fire. Sabita’s family rushed her to Pallahara hospital, from where she was shifted to the Keonjhar District Headquarters Hospital and later to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. She succumbed to her injuries during treatment.
Following her death, Sabita’s father lodged a complaint with Barkote police, leading to the detention of Bijay Nayak. Police said the accused has sustained minor burn injuries and is undergoing treatment at Barkote hospital. During interrogation, Bijay denied the charges and claimed that he found his wife in flames and tried to save her by wrapping her in a cloth.
Police have seized burnt clothes and other materials from the scene. Given the seriousness of the case, Deogarh SP Anil Kumar Mishra visited the spot on Friday afternoon to review the investigation. Sabita’s body was sent for postmortem in Cuttack and is being brought back to her native village in Angul district.
Further investigation by the police into the incident is underway.
