Husband Arrested for Allegedly Murdering Wife Over Suspicion of Infidelity in Jharsuguda

Jharsuguda: A 50-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife near the Old Bus Stand in the Friday Market area under the jurisdiction of the Government Railway Police (GRP), Jharsuguda, police said on Thursday.

The accused has been identified as Gopal Majhi (50), a resident of Purunabasti in Jharsuguda. The victim, Basanti Majhi (35), was found dead near the Friday Market area on 2nd June. She worked at a local hotel, police said.

According to officials, the case came to light after Basanti’s brother-in-law, Madhusudhan Majhi, lodged a complaint regarding the recovery of her body. During the initial investigation, after the recovery of the dead body of Basanti, the husband, Gopal, had gone missing, raising suspicion.

A murder case was registered, and an investigation was launched under the supervision of senior railway police officials, with assistance from Jharsuguda District police. The accused was subsequently traced and apprehended in Sonepur.

Government Railway Police DSP Ramesh Chandra Das said that the investigation revealed frequent disputes between the couple. “Basanti worked at a local hotel and often did not return home at night due to her work. Gopal suspected her character and regularly quarrelled with her over the issue,” he said. Police said that on the night of June 1, an argument broke out between the couple, during which Gopal allegedly attacked Basanti with a stone in a fit of rage, leading to her death. “The accused has confessed to committing the crime during interrogation. The weapon of offence, a stone used in the murder, has also been seized,” Das added.