A 45-year-old man, M Manan, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the murder of his wife, Shakuntala Das, in Arsala village of Odisha’s Keonjhar district.
According to police reports, Manan and Shakuntala had been married for seven years and had two children. Trouble in their marriage began after Manan took a second wife, with whom he has a daughter and is expecting another child. The situation led to frequent domestic disputes, often worsened by alcohol abuse.
Past altercations had brought the couple to Jhumpura police station, where issues were temporarily settled through written agreements.
Two weeks before the incident, Shakuntala had left for her parental home in Bhaluka village after another dispute. She returned two days ago, but tensions continued.
On Tuesday evening, an argument broke out after Shakuntala reportedly did not respond to Manan’s phone calls. The confrontation escalated, and in a fit of rage, Manan allegedly attacked her with a wooden object, causing fatal injuries.
Initially, Manan attempted to mislead authorities by claiming that his wife had died due to excessive alcohol consumption. However, visible injuries on her body, including a broken hand, raised suspicions. Her family alerted the police, leading to Manan’s arrest.
An investigation is ongoing.
