In a shocking incident in Odisha's Ganjam district, two teenagers were detained by police on Wednesday for allegedly hacking a 21-year-old pregnant woman to death in front of her two-year-old daughter. The crime occurred on Tuesday in a village under the Hinjili police station limits.
Details of the Incident
The victim, along with her young daughter, was staging a dharna outside her estranged husband's house, protesting his alleged abandonment. It was during this protest that the accused attacked her with an axe. The arrested individuals include the 17-year-old brother-in-law of the deceased and a 16-year-old accomplice who was present at the scene. Police have also seized the axe used in the murder.
According to Srinibash Sethi, Inspector-in-Charge of Hinjili police station, the husband was not at home when the incident occurred. The victim had previously filed an FIR on April 19 at the same police station, following which notices were issued to her in-laws. She had been advised to stay at a shelter home.
Political Reaction and Demands
Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, expressing anguish over the crime in his home constituency, urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure immediate arrest of all accused. In a letter to the chief minister, Patnaik said, "The visual of a young child crying beside her mother's body has shocked the conscience of Odisha." He demanded state care, compensation, and rehabilitation for the orphaned child.
Current Status
The victim's body remains in the mortuary after postmortem, as her relatives refused to take it for cremation. Her parents are deceased. The two-year-old child has been shifted to a childcare home on the direction of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Police are continuing their investigation into the case.
