Odisha Man, 2 Lovers Kill His Wife, Then Stage It As Suicide

A 30-year-old man and his two women lovers were arrested on Thursday for allegedly killing his wife in Odisha's Ganjam district, police said.

The incident took place at Nuagaon village under Bellaguntha police station limits of the district on Monday, the police said.

Santosh Naik, a daily wager and his lovers Anita Naik (26) and Sruti Parida (21) were arrested for allegedly killing his wife Puja Naik (28) and terming her death as suicide, a police officer said.

Santosh got married to Puja about 12 years ago and has four children, three daughters and a son, he said.

The three persons were arrested on the basis of a written complaint lodged by the deceased's mother Shanti Naik of Buguda area in the district on Monday at Bellaguntha police station.

According to the complaint, Shanti went to her daughter's house after getting a phone call from Santosh that Puja had committed suicide by hanging. However, Santosh did not allow her to enter his house. She, however, saw her daughter lying on the ground wrapped in a cloth.

She alleged that her daughter was having frequent quarrels with her husband for keeping an illicit relationship with two women, as per the complaint.

"Puja's husband and two of his women friends frequently physically and mentally tortured her. They might have killed her and painted her death as suicide,” alleged Shanta in her police complaint.

After receiving the complaint, police went to the spot, seized the body and started an investigation.

Inspector in Charge (IIC), Bellaguntha police station, Rebati Sabar said, "We have registered a case under relevant sections of BNS based on her complaint. After getting prima facie evidence during the investigation, the trio, including Santosh and his two lovers, were arrested." Further investigation into the case is in progress, she said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)