Nuapada: Shock gripped local residents after wife of a senior BJD leader was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Odisha's Nuapada district on Sunday night. The deceased was identified as Pooja Panda (35), wife of Harishchandra Panda (popularly known as Titu) - a prominent political figure and former district youth president of the Biju Janata Dal. She was found hanging from a tree in front of her residence, triggering widespread grief and speculation.

According to preliminary reports, the incident came to light at around 8.30 pm in Matagudipada area of Nuapada town. Locals noticed a woman hanging from a banyan tree and alerted the police. On receiving information, police personnel from Nuapada Police Station rushed to the spot and secured the area. The woman's identity was later ascertained as BJD leader Harishchandra Panda's wife Pooja. The incident turned murkier with family members alleging that she died by suicide, using her scarf to hang herself from the tree. 

Family members to be questioned as probe begins

However, the exact circumstances leading to the incident remained unclear, and no immediate cause has been established. Senior officials, including Additional Superintendent of Police Ranjit Naik and IIC Gangadhar Meher, also reached the scene to supervise the initial investigation.

The body was brought down and taken into custody, and later shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital at around 10 pm for postmortem. Authorities stated that the autopsy report will provide further clarity regarding the cause of death.

The incident has sent shockwaves across the locality, with a large number of people, including political leaders and local dignitaries, gathering at the scene and at the residence of the deceased. Police have registered a case and initiated a detailed investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the death. 

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