Rourkela: A 36-year-old teacher at Ekalavya Model Residential School in Laing was found dead in her staff quarters on Thursday evening. The deceased, Sagarika Panda, was reportedly found hanging in her room around 5:30pm. Police have booked her husband, who also teaches at the same school, in this regard.
The victim’s mother, Tilotama Kar, has filed an FIR at Rajgangpur police station alleging that her daughter was murdered by the husband, Gyana Ranjan Tirpathy (38). The complaint accuses Tirpathy of regular domestic violence and dowry demands. “We have registered a case against the husband under sections related to domestic violence, dowry torture and abetment to suicide. The investigation is ongoing from multiple angles and further action will be taken after receiving the post-mortem report,” said M R Pradhan, inspector in-charge, Rajgangpur police station.
According to Tirpathy’s statement, he found his wife hanging in their quarters and broke down the door with the help of neighbours. Panda was taken to Laing community health centre, where she was declared brought dead.
The couple, who married in 2018, have two children – a six-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. Panda was a native of Sambalpur district, while Tirpathy hails from Jagatsinghpur.
The body was handed over to the deceased’s family after an inquest in the presence of a magistrate and post-mortem examination on Friday.