In a significant breakthrough, Cuttack police have successfully solved the murder case of Padmavati Samal, whose body was discovered from the banks of the Kathajodi River near Paramahansa area under Kandarpur police limits on Friday morning. The police cracked the case within 30 hours, arresting the victim’s husband, Balaram Dehuri, and her two in-laws, Jagannath Dehuri and Happy Dehuri.
The police had discovered Padmavati’s disfigured body with gruesome injuries, which appeared to be an attempt to conceal her identity. After an intense investigation, the police determined that the motive behind the crime was Padmavati’s husband’s belief that she was involved in an extramarital affair.
Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena briefed the media on Sunday, stating that the police team, including the IIC of Kandarpur, ACP, scientific team, and dog squad, quickly began the investigation after the body was found. Evidence was collected, and the weapon of offense was seized from the crime scene.
A breakthrough came when a blood-stained shirt and pant were found near the crime scene, with a receipt from a tailor shop stitched to the garments. After following this lead and verifying several tailors in Odisha and Gujarat, the police identified a match with a tailor shop in Surat. This led to the arrest of Jagannath Dehuri from a Surat-bound train, while Balaram and Happy were arrested in Odisha.
The police have confirmed that the motive for the crime stemmed from Balaram’s belief that his wife was having an extramarital affair, prompting him to take her life. Further investigations into the case are ongoing.
