A 50-year-old farmer, Rupanand Singh, was arrested by the Talsara police in Sundargarh district on Wednesday morning for allegedly killing his wife, Durgabati Singh, following a heated argument over money. The incident occurred in the Dumermuda Dipa forest, near Hutupani village.
Rupanand is accused of stoning his 45-year-old wife to death after she refused to give him money from the proceeds of their recently sold ancestral farmland. Durgabati had been saving the money for her elder son’s marriage, but Rupanand demanded it for his personal expenses.
Police sources revealed that Rupanand, who had lost his first wife, had married Durgabati a year after his elder brother’s death. The couple lived together with their children from previous marriages—Rupanand’s 15-year-old son and Durgabati’s two children, aged 27 and 24.
Tensions between the couple had reportedly been escalating over the past few weeks. Rupanand had previously taken money from Durgabati to purchase a two-wheeler and had been demanding more money, including from her Subhadra savings. This ongoing financial conflict led to the tragic outcome.
