Bhubaneswar:

A 24-year-old pharmacist along with his two girlfriends allegedly killed his wife by forceful anaesthesia in Bhubaneswar, police said on Wednesday.

The incident happened on October 28, but came to light only after the post-mortem examination revealed foul play, they said.

Pradmunya Kumar, the pharmacist, and his two girlfriends — Roji Patra and Ejita Bhuyan, both nurses — have been arrested, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pinak Mishra said.

Pradmunya married Subhashree in 2020 after dating for years, and since then he has been torturing her. For the last six months, Subhashree had been living with her parents in Khurda as a result, police said.

Amid his problems with Subhashree, Pradyumna met Ejita last year and got close to her. He met Roji in March this year, and the three got along well.

They allegedly conspired to kill Subhashree and at about 2 pm on October 27, Pradyumna brought his wife to Roji’s house in Sampur area where she was overdosed with drugs meant for anaesthesia, police said.

An unconscious Subhashree was taken to the Capital Hospital on October 28 where Pradyumna told doctors that she tried to die by suicide. She was eventually declared brought dead.

The post-mortem examination revealed high dose of anaesthesia drugs was the reason behind her death, which prompted the police to further investigate the case, Mr Mishra said.

“After discussing with the medical officer, who conducted the post-mortem examination, we got the clue that it was not just an unnatural death and there was some foul play involved. We interrogated the accused, who confessed that they had forcefully injected anaesthesia drugs into the deceased,” he said.

A special team has been formed to conduct a detailed investigation into the sensational case, the DCP said.

“If required, we will take the prime accused on remand and recreate the crime scene,” he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhubaneswar:

Personnel of the Odisha forest department on Saturday launched a search operation at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here, after a woman claimed to have spotted a leopard near the dump yard area, officials said.

The forest department officials along with the local police scanned the area carrying nets, traps and other equipment, but could not find any trace of the leopard, they said.

Earlier in the morning, the woman, a worker at the dump yard, claimed to have spotted a leopard there, a forest official said.

However, only pug marks of jackal were found during the search operation of the high-security airport premises, “but there was no sign of any leopard”, he said.

“We have tied a few hens to nearby trees as bait… If a leopard is in the vicinity, we will catch the animal when it comes to feed on the hens,” the official said. In 2019, a leopard was caught from the Bhubaneswar airport premises and later released in the nearby Chandaka forest.

The authorities of Biju Patnaik International Airport and the Veer Surendra Sai Airport at Jharsuguda had also received threats about the presence of bombs on two different flights on Thursday, but those later turned out to be hoax, the officials said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A day after it came to light that the friend of an Army officer was sexually harassed at a police station in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar when she and the officer went to file a complaint about an attack on them by a few men, videos of the alleged manhandling have emerged.

The videos, which were accessed by NDTV on Saturday but whose authenticity has not been independently verified, show the woman and the officer being surrounded by some men, who are seen arguing with them and then pushing them while hurling abuses. The assault took place around 1 am on Sunday when the woman and the officer, who is attached to the 22 Sikh Regiment in Kolkata, were returning to their hotel in Bhubaneswar after closing her restaurant for the day. 

In the footage, which appears to be shot on a cellphone, the woman is seen speaking to a man and is heard saying that some of the people surrounding her had tried to misbehave with her. 

“Sir, I am not speaking with you, I am speaking with the people who are trying to misbehave with me. They are… It is my car, whether I show my legs or my hair, it is my prerogative,” she says in Hindi. 

A man in the group interjects and says, “Don’t show it to us, then.” When the woman asks, “Who are you?” another man takes the name of a politician and asks whether she has heard of him. When she says she hasn’t, another man shouts, “The Prime Minister of Odisha”. 

As the argument escalates, the Army officer holds the woman’s hands and tries to take her away, but the men follow, shouting, “This is not Delhi.” The men then push the officer and ask him to “explain things” to her.

The argument continues and the men accuse the woman of playing the “victim card” and tell her not to “show overconfidence”.

The officer takes the woman to their car and in the next video, she is seen standing with the front door open when one of the men slams it. The men hurl abuses and hit the officer who tries to shield the woman. She and the officer are then separated and manhandled. The video ends with the officer and the woman walking towards the car when she says she will go to the police. A man is heard saying, “Arre ja” (go ahead). 

From Bad To Worse

The ordeal from the woman and the officer was just beginning, however. She told reporters on Friday that when they reached the Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar some time later, only a woman constable in civil dress was present and she refused to help them. 

The constable abused them and, in the meantime, a few policemen arrived and asked the officer to give a written statement, before locking him up in a cell. 

“I don’t know what happened… they put him in the lock-up. When I raised my voice to say they cannot put an Army officer in custody as it is unlawful, two female officers assaulted me,” she said, adding that her jacket was used to bind her arms and she was left in a room. 

“After some time, a male officer opened the doors and kicked my breasts several times,” she said, alleging he also took off his pants and then hers, while the officer in charge of the police station made obscene gestures.

Police officials at the station have, however,  alleged that the woman and the Army officer assaulted a police officer while drunk and vandalised property there. The woman was arrested and granted bail by the Odisha High Court earlier this week. 

The Odisha Police headquarters said five cops, including an Inspector-rank officer, have been suspended for “gross misconduct” and an inquiry is being conducted. Officials from another police station are now investigating the assault on the woman and the Army officer before they reached the Bharatpur police station. 

Former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has called for a judicial probe into the assault at the police station.

“Regarding the violence that was meted out to both of them and the alleged sexual assault on the major’s fiancee, we demand a full judicial inquiry into this matter, and action must be taken very quickly,” he said.

Bhubaneswar:

The father of the woman, who was sexually assaulted at a police station in Bhubaneswar, on Friday demanded the arrest and dismissal of the cops for taking the law into their hands.

The woman’s father, who is a retired brigadier, said: “The police personnel have violated several laws by putting an army officer in the lock up, physically assaulting him, sexually harassing my daughter.” While condemning the September 15 incident at the Bharatpur police station in the state capital where his daughter was allegedly subjected to sexual assault, the father said: “They (cops) have not just committed crime, rather their acts can be termed as heinous crime. They must be punished.” The father demanded the arrest and dismissal of the accused police personnel for violating the law of the land.

“They (police) too have come up with a false narrative and arrested my daughter. My daughter was sexually assaulted in custody. She suffered bruises on her face and body,” he said. The woman’s father also appealed to the state government and the police to sensitise the low ranking police personnel on how to behave with women.

He also urged the state government to set an example by punishing the police personnel. “Other police personnel across the state should get a lesson from the punishment from this case,” the father said.

Former Odisha chief secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik said, “Who gave the right to the police to thrash a girl? If there are no cops for night patrolling, what’s the government doing then? So much money is being spent on different schemes, but why money is not being spent on public security.” The former chief secretary also demands stringent action against the Bharatpur police station inspector in charge. “Even if steps are being taken for women’s empowerment, they are unsafe,” he said.

The army officer posted in West Bengal and his fiancé had approached Bharatpur Police Station early on Sunday to lodge a complaint of road rage in which they were allegedly harassed by some local youths.

At the police station, the duo got engaged in a quarrel with the personnel over the registration of an FIR.

The woman, who was arrested in Bhubaneswar for allegedly misbehaving with the police, claimed that she was sexually assaulted after being taken into custody.

She was on Thursday released on bail granted by the high court.

The woman, who is at present undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, said some more personnel arrived at the police station on that night and asked her friend to write a complaint.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhubaneswar:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid foundation stones and dedicated four railway projects valued at Rs 2,871 crore in Odisha.

These projects are set to enhance rail connectivity, decongest key routes and contribute to the socio-economic development of the region, the PM said.

Among the projects inaugurated was the 25 km Lanjigarh Road-Ambadola-Doikallu railway section, part of the Vizianagaram-Titilagarh third line project costing Rs 432 crore. This section will improve connectivity between western Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and facilitate smoother freight movement, officials said.

Another project is the 23 km Laxmipur Road-Singaram-Tikiri railway section, part of the Koraput-Singapur road doubling project, which was completed at Rs 260 crore. This section aims to increase train movement capacity in southern Odisha and ease freight movement from resource-rich areas to major markets.

PM Modi also dedicated the 41 km Dhenkanal-Sadashibapur-Hindol Road railway section of the Budhapank-Salegaon third and fourth line project, worth Rs 540 crore. This project will augment capacity on a crucial industrial route, ensuring more efficient transportation of goods.

Additionally, the 12.5 km Bangurkela-Nowgaon railway section of the Bondamunda-Ranchi doubling project, completed at Rs 239 crore, will reduce congestion and improve connectivity between Odisha and Jharkhand, they added.

In addition, PM Modi also laid foundation stones of four railway projects.

These include a 7 km flyover between Siju and Paradeep coaching yard costing Rs 200 crore, which will eliminate surface crossings and ensure smoother train movements at Paradeep Port.

The expansion of the Paradeep-Badabandha third and fourth line, spanning 19 km and costing Rs 300 crore, will boost capacity for both freight and passenger traffic, enhancing connectivity to Paradeep Port, officials said.

The doubling of the MCRL Inner Corridor Phase-1, which will cover 10.93 km and cost Rs 152 crore, is intended to facilitate smooth coal evacuation.

The highly anticipated 41.9 km Jeypore-Nabarangpur New Line, costing Rs 748 crore, will connect the tribal-dominated regions of Jeypore and Nabarangpur, fostering economic growth and improving access to markets and resources.

“This aspirational project will link the tribal-dominated areas of Jeypore and Nabarangpur, providing improved access to markets and services for the region’s people. The new line is expected to play a transformative role in the economic upliftment of the area, promoting employment, trade, and mobility,” the East Coast Railways (ECoR) said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Bhubaneswar:

A court here on Thursday handed death sentence to a person for killing his wife and seriously injuring 6-year-old daughter by slitting her throat following a dispute with his spouse over monetary issues. The incident took place in Bharatpur area of Bhubaneswar in 2022.

The convict identified as Sanjeet Das a.k.a Banku is a resident of Ghatikia area in Bhubaneswar.

“A jobless Sanjeet depended on the income of his deceased wife, Saraswati who used to work as a head nurse in a nearby private hospital. The couple would often engage in a fight over monetary issues. Meanwhile, Sanjeet was further worried after the birth of their second daughter just four days before the day on which the crime took place,” a police source said.

On June 9, 2022, Sanjeet and Saraswati again entered into a heated argument and in a fit of rage Sanjeet stabbed his wife with a sharp weapon multiple times, causing her death.

He also slit the throat of his six-year-old daughter before fleeing the crime scene. The girl recovered from the injury after fighting for her life for more than two months.

Based on the complaint lodged by the deceased’s brother, the Bharatpur police registered a case and arrested the accused from a liquor shop near his residence.

The court after examining the statements of 15 witnesses and 57 exhibits pronounced the judgment. Considering the brutal murder of his own wife and the attempt to kill his innocent daughter by Sanjeet as a rarest of rare crime, the court on Thursday awarded him the death sentence.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The much-anticipated pre-poll alliance and seat-sharing talks between Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have hit a roadblock, raising the prospect of both parties contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections independently. The talks, which took place in Delhi, failed to resolve differences over two key constituencies – Bhubaneswar and Puri – leading to an unexpected stand-off.

Upon their return to Bhubaneswar on Friday evening, BJP state president Manmohan Samal, along with other senior leaders, hinted at the possibility of the BJP fielding candidates in all 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha. Mr Samal stated that the discussions in Delhi were solely focused on preparations for the upcoming elections, with no mention of an alliance or seat-sharing arrangement.

“There was no talk on alliance and we (BJP) will go to polls alone,” Mr Samal said as quoted by news agency PTI. “We had gone to Delhi to hold discussions with the central leaders on our preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. No talks on alliance or seat-sharing with any party were held during the meeting. The BJP will contest the twin polls on its own strength.”

The apparent breakdown in talks has sparked speculations, especially considering the historical context of the BJD’s departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 15 years ago. Former BJP leader and minister Sushma Swaraj had then prophesied that Naveen Patnaik, the leader of BJD, would “regret” severing ties after an 11-year understanding.

Seat Game

According to sources, the alliance talks hit hurdles primarily over seat-sharing ratios. While both parties had initially agreed on the idea of a pre-poll alliance, disagreements emerged over the distribution of seats. The BJD sought to contest over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, a proposition the BJP found unacceptable.

Conversely, the BJP sought 14 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, a demand rejected by the BJD. The stalemate over seat distribution escalated, with both parties remaining firm on their respective stances. In the 2019 general elections, the BJD had secured 12 seats, while the BJP won eight out of the total 21.

State Unit vs Central Leadership

Odisha BJP leaders, led by Mr Samal, held a series of meetings in Delhi for three days, engaging with central leaders to discuss the alliance. However, no conclusive decision was reached.

The dynamics of the alliance talks seemed to have shifted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on March 5. While some sections of the Odisha BJP leadership are reportedly are on board with the idea of an alliance, others, including Mr Samal, have reiterated their desire to contest the polls alone. 

Mr Samal and other party officials gathered at the residence of another BJP leader in Bhubaneswar last night for further discussions. The BJD’s VK Pandian and Pranab Prakash Das, who rushed to Delhi on Thursday evening via a chartered flight for discussions with BJP central leaders, have now returned to the state capital.

Seat Ratio In The Past

Both parties had an alliance for around 11 years between 1998 and 2009, contesting three Lok Sabha and two assembly elections together.

The seat-sharing ratio in their previous alliances was 4:3. Odisha has witnessed simultaneous polls since 2004, with a consistent voting pattern until 2014, where voters typically favoured the BJD in both assembly and Lok Sabha elections. However, the 2019 elections saw a departure from this trend, with some degree of split voting observed.

In the 2014 assembly elections, the BJD secured a dominant position with 117 out of 147 seats, while the BJP won 10 and the Congress 16. The projection for Lok Sabha seats closely mirrored the outcome, with the BJD securing 20 seats and the BJP one. In 2019, a shift in voting patterns was evident, with the BJD winning 112 assembly seats, the BJP 23, and the Congress nine.

What Went Wrong

Once considered the BJP’s most reliable ally in the NDA, the alliance collapsed in 2009 following failed seat-sharing talks. The breakdown was officially attributed to the BJD’s demand for a reduction in the BJP’s share of assembly seats from 63 to around 40, and parliamentary seats from nine to six. This demand, deemed unreasonable by the BJP leaders, led to the withdrawal of support to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s government, marking the end of an 11-year political marriage. 

The withdrawal of support was termed by BJD as an “act of betrayal”.

The BJD-BJP pact was formed in 1998, orchestrated by senior leaders Bijay Mohapatra and the late Pramod Mahajan

New Delhi:

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has hinted at a potential alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. On Wednesday, leaders of the BJD convened for an extensive session at Naveen Niwas, the official residence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Simultaneously, counterparts from the BJP, including its state unit chief Manmohan Samal, gathered in the national capital for a parallel meeting, engaging in discussions related to electoral affairs, with a particular focus on the possibility of forging an alliance.

A potential pact between the two parties marks a significant shift in the political dynamics of the state, especially considering the BJD’s departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 15 years ago, which had prompted former BJP leader and minister Sushma Swaraj to say that Naveen Patnaik would “regret” snapping ties after an 11-year understanding. 

While no formal announcement has been made, BJD vice president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra confirmed the discussions but stopped short of confirming the formation of an alliance. “Biju Janata Dal will prioritise the greater interests of the people of Odisha. Yes, there were discussions on the issue (alliance),” Mr Mishra told reporters after the meeting at Naveen Niwas.

A press release issued by the BJD stated, “An extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the party today regarding the strategy of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.”

“It was resolved that since by 2036, Odisha will complete 100 years of its statehood, and BJD and Chief Minister Patnaik have major milestones to be achieved by this time, therefore Biju Janata Dal will do everything towards this in the greater interests of people of Odisha,” the statement added.

On the BJP side, senior leader and MP Jual Oram, after the meeting presided over by BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi, confirmed discussions on a pre-poll alliance with the BJD. However, he added that the final decision rests with the party’s central leadership. “Yes, there were discussions on the alliance among other issues. The party’s central leadership will make the final call,” Mr Oram stated.

The Numbers 

The strategic importance of Odisha, with its 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats, is not lost on either party. In the 2019 elections, BJD and BJP secured 12 and eight parliamentary constituencies and 112 and 23 assembly constituencies, respectively. According to sources, in the event of an alliance, the BJP would contest the majority of Lok Sabha seats, while the BJD would focus on assembly seats.

The growing speculation about the alliance gained credence from the recent public praises exchanged between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Patnaik. Both leaders acknowledged each other’s contributions, with the BJD demonstrating support for the Modi government’s agenda in Parliament.

What Happened In 2009 

The BJD-BJP alliance saw success in two assembly elections and three Lok Sabha polls in Odisha. The partnership, forged in February 1998, enjoyed a strong foundation, with both parties successfully contesting Lok Sabha elections in 1998, 1999, and 2004, as well as assembly elections in 2000 and 2004.

Once considered the BJP’s most reliable ally in the NDA, the alliance collapsed in 2009 following failed seat-sharing talks. The breakdown was officially attributed to the BJD’s demand for a reduction in the BJP’s share of assembly seats from 63 to around 40, and parliamentary seats from nine to six. This demand, deemed unreasonable by the BJP leaders, led to the withdrawal of support to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s government, marking the end of an 11-year political marriage. 

The withdrawal of support was termed by BJD as an “act of betrayal”.

The BJD-BJP pact was formed in 1998, orchestrated by senior leaders Bijay Mohapatra and the late Pramod Mahajan. 

Bhubaneswar:

Four months after the triple train accident that claimed 297 lives in Odisha’s Balasore district, the authorities of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday initiated a process of disposing of the 28 unidentified bodies, an official said.

The civic body issued a standard operating procedure for scientifically disposing of the remains of the 28 people whose rightful claimants were not found, he said. “We have issued an SOP for the scientific disposal of the unclaimed bodies of those who were killed in the triple train accident. The bodies will be handed over to the corporation in the presence of CBI officials and we are planning for the cremation on Tuesday,” BMC Mayor Sulochana Das told reporters.

Sources said the BMC initiated the process after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has been probing into the train accident, wrote to the Khurda district collector, requesting him for the disposal of the bodies in a scientific manner.

The bodies were kept in the AIIMS Bhubaneswar since the accident occurred in June.

The BMC also decided to make arrangements for smooth transportation of the bodies from AIIMS to the cremation ground at Satyanagar and Bharatpur in the city, an official said.

AIIMS Bhubaneswar director will officially hand over the bodies to the BMC health officer following the existing rules and guidelines of the state, the Centre, and the National Human Rights Commission for cremation of the bodies, he said.

The entire process will be video-graphed, according to the SOP issued by the BMC.

The AIIMS Bhubaneswar had received 162 bodies and 81 of them were handed over to the family members of the victims in the first phase.

Later, another 53 bodies were given to the family members following DNA tests but the remains of 28 others have been unclaimed, the official said.

The bodies were kept in at least five deep freezer containers procured from the Paradip Port Trust.

The Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Super Fast Express and a goods train were involved in the accident.

The Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches around 7 pm on June 2 near the Bahanaga Bazar station.

A few coaches of the Coromandel Express whiplashed the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express which was passing by at the same time.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)