Bhubaneswar: High drama ensued at the Satyanagar crematorium here when the Commissionerate Police stopped the last rites of an elderly woman midway this afternoon.

Based on a complaint filed by the deceased’s younger sister, a team of the Kharvelanagar Police reached the spot and seized the half-burnt body. The deceased has been identified as Ashrukana Pradhan, wife of former Brahmagiri MLA Ajay Kumar Pradhan.

The complainant stated daughter-in-law of the deceased did not inform any one about the death of the elderly woman and brought it to the crematorium for last rites. Relatives raised objections to the elderly’s last rites and lodged the complaint at the Kharvelanagar Police Station.

The police along with forensic team stopped the last rites at the crematorium and seized the body. An investigation has been launched into the matter.

The complainant alleged the elderly’s daughter-in-law killed her and attempted cremating the body without the knowledge of the relatives. 

In her reaction, the elderly’s daughter-in-law said the relatives were levelling false charges to usurp the property of the deceased. Even the daughter-in-law claimed she tried to perform the last rites of the deceased without informing the relatives, as they had been falsely alleging that she was harassing the elderly woman.