Bhadrak: In a shocking case of domestic violence, a man allegedly murdered his wife over suspicion of an extramarital affair and later dumped her body near a riverbank in Bhadrak district.

The incident traces back to May 29, when the body of an unidentified woman was recovered from the banks of the Reb river under Tihidi police limits. Initial probe by the police suggested it to be a premeditated murder, with suspicions the victim had been killed elsewhere and her body disposed of at the river site during the night.

As part of the inquiry, police circulated photographs of the deceased and distinctive tattoos found on her hand on social media. This helped in identifying the woman and eventually led to a breakthrough in the case.

Husband confessed to crime

Following identification, the victim’s husband, identified as Prafulla Behera, was taken into custody. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime. He admitted that he had beaten his wife to death with a pestle at their residence due to suspicions of her involvement in an extramarital relationship.

On Sunday, police arrested the accused and conducted a crime scene recreation at his native village Pathar Dihi under Dhamnagar police limits. A second reconstruction was carried out at the Reb riverbank, where the body had been dumped.

Police official sources said the accused had carefully planned the crime and attempted to mislead investigators by disposing of the body at a remote location. However, scientific investigation methods and digital tracing played a crucial role in solving the case, official sources added.

The body was sent for post-mortem examination as part of the investigation. Further inquiry is underway to gather additional evidence.