Kendrapara police have arrested Pramod Behera, the boyfriend of a Plus-3 student from Pattamundai, in connection with her mysterious death, five days after her charred body was found under suspicious circumstances.
The arrest came after the victim’s father filed an FIR accusing Behera of harassment, blackmail, and abetment to suicide.
Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kataria revealed that investigators found obscene photos of the victim on Behera’s phone. On July 17, Behera allegedly sent an explicit video of the victim to her father and two others, with intentions to circulate it further.
Police traced Behera to Chennai before bringing him back to Kendrapara for questioning. Meanwhile, Behera’s father claims his son is being framed and has threatened self-harm if he is not released.
The case has attracted public attention due to the unusual circumstances of the student’s death — her burnt body was discovered tied to a grill gate in her village, raising doubts about whether it was a suicide or staged murder.
CCTV footage from the village has provided key leads. Central Range IG Praveen Kumar visited Kendrapara to monitor the investigation. Police have interrogated both families and are collaborating with forensic experts to analyze digital evidence, including mobile phone data and CCTV recordings, to determine the exact cause of death.
