Woman, son found dead in Khurda, murder suspected

BHUBANESWAR: A woman and her four-year-old son were found hanging from a tree on the outskirts of Nirakarpur in Khurda district on Saturday.
Police suspect that the two were murdered and then hanged to make it look like a suicide.
Police have detained the woman's husband and mother-in-law. The deceased were identified as Momy Pradhan, 28, and Sipun.Police found abrasions and traces of strangulation on their bodies.
Police said they were found dead at Denganal, two km from home. "Prima facie, it seems, they were strangulated and then dragged to the tree from which they were hanged. There are marks on ground to suggest the bodies were dragged from the house. The ropes, used in the hanging, also raise suspicion as they are too thin to be used for hanging," said SP (Khurda) Dilip Kumar Das.
Police would interrogate Momy's husband Tapan, he said. "We suspect the involvement of the in-laws. We have registered cases under Sections 498, 302 and 304 (b) of IPC," said Das, adding, dowry and extra-marital relationship might be the reasons behind the murder.
Momy, a native of Belpada under Jatni police limits, married Tapan five years ago. They had one son. "We registered the case on the basis of complaint, lodged by Momy's father, and circumstantial evidence. He alleged that she had been mentally and physically abused by her in-laws," said the senior police officer.
Police are also looking for the woman's younger brother-in-law. "We are waiting for the postmortem report, which can throw light on the reason behind the deaths," the SP said. Preliminary investigation also revealed the domestic violence angle, he added.