A tragic domestic dispute turned fatal in Patarajpur village under the Balichandrapur police station jurisdiction in Jajpur, leaving a young woman dead and her husband critically injured.
According to police sources, Shatrughna Nayak of Patarajpur village had married Sagarika Swain, a resident of Purushottampur village under Mahanga police limits, in a love marriage five years ago. On Saturday, an intense argument broke out between the couple over an undisclosed issue. Driven by distress during the altercation, Sagarika poured kerosene over herself and set herself alight, succumbing to severe burn injuries on the spot.
Shatrughna sustained critical burn injuries while attempting to rescue his wife from the flames. He was rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Kataka, where he is currently undergoing treatment in critical condition.
However, the victim’s family has alleged foul play. Sagarika’s mother, Basanti Swain, lodged a written complaint at the Balichandrapur police station on Sunday, alleging that her daughter was murdered by her in-laws, who she claims doused her with kerosene and set her on fire.
Following the complaint, Balichandrapur Police Station IIC D.K. Mohanty confirmed that a case (Case No. 401/26) has been registered and a thorough investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
