Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan disclosed that Deepak Rout, the prime accused in the murder of police constable Subhamitra Sahu, had also allegedly murdered his first wife Aparna Priyadarshini in 2022 for insurance money.
Initially reported as a truck accident, Aparna’s death was later found to be staged. The truck claimed to be involved was confirmed to be in Rourkela on the day of the incident, raising serious doubts about the original investigation. Minister Harichandan criticized the previous government for failing to conduct a proper inquiry, suggesting that timely action could have saved Subhamitra’s life.
Subhamitra was allegedly killed after refusing to pay Rs 20 lakh to Rout for a ceremonial Hindu wedding following their court marriage. Rout confessed to strangling her in Bhubaneswar’s Unit-6 area and burying her body in Kusunpur village, Keonjhar district, with help from two accomplices—Binod Bihari Bhuyan alias Papu and Shambhunath Mohanty alias Jata. All three are currently lodged in Jharpada Special Jail.
The Minister also addressed rising concerns over crimes against women, presenting data that showed fluctuating figures over the past five years. While 2021 saw a spike with 35,326 cases, the numbers declined to 30,779 cases in 2024. He claimed that under the current administration, crimes against women and children have seen a comparative reduction between July 2024 and June 2025.
The Assembly session witnessed sharp exchanges, with opposition BJD members questioning the government’s handling of women’s safety and demanding accountability for investigative lapses in earlier cases.
