Man stabs wife to death in front of polling booth

BHADRAK: In a shocking incident, a 32-year-old man stabbed his wife to death in front of a polling station in Muktadiha village within Bhadrak Rural police limits on Saturday.

Police identified the deceased as Rashmirekha Rout (29), wife of Pravakar Rout, of Muktadiha village in Kaupur panchayat in Bhadrak Assembly segment.

According to Muktikanta Sahoo, local sarpanch and eyewitness of the incident, the accused pulled Rashmirekha from the voters’ queue and started stabbing her repeatedly. Critically injured, Rashmirekha collapsed in a pool of blood.

“People who were in the queue to vote could not instantly realise what was happening,” Sahu said. Later, locals captured Pravakar who was trying to flee and handed him over to police posted at the polling station.

Rashmirekha was shifted to Barapada primary health centre before being brought to Bhadrak district headquarters hospital where doctors declared her dead.

Sources said Pravakar had a bitter relationship with his wife whom he had married four years back. The couple has a three-year-old son. Rashmirekha had left her husband and in-laws’ house with her son and was living with her parents in Jiragambhira village under the same panchayat. On the day, she had come to cast her vote, sarpanch Sahoo said.

Rural police station IIC Amitabh Das said the accused has been arrested and a platoon of armed police deployed in the village. The situation is under control, the officer said and added that reason behind the murder is under investigation.