A tragic family dispute turned deadly on Sunday when a 40-year-old woman, Lina Sahu, was allegedly stabbed to death by her siblings during their uncle’s funeral at Majhipada, in Sambalpur district.
According to police, the incident stemmed from a long-standing property dispute. Lina, a divorcee who worked at a mall in Sambalpur, had traveled to Bamra to attend the post-death rituals of her uncle. There, she got into a heated argument with her elder sister, Pushpanjali Sahu (45), and younger brother, Golaka Sahu (35), over the division of their late father’s land and finances from a recent property sale.
In the heat of the moment, the confrontation escalated. “The siblings attacked Lina with a knife during the argument. She collapsed at the spot and died,” said Kuchinda SDPO Pradeep Kumar Dash. The knife used in the murder has been seized, and both Pushpanjali and Golaka have been arrested. The body was sent for post-mortem.
Police sources revealed that Lina had earlier filed a legal case seeking her rightful share of the family property to build her own house. The case was still pending in court, and tensions among the siblings had been escalating. She had reportedly distanced herself from her paternal home due to the soured relations.
Though she had avoided family gatherings, Lina responded to an invitation from her cousins to attend the funeral. The fatal argument occurred shortly after.
Both accused siblings remain unmarried and live with their elderly parents. Police are currently questioning the parents and eyewitnesses as the investigation continues.
