- By Priyanka Koul
- Mon, 02 Jun 2025 03:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a chilling incident from Odisha's Ganjam district, a 57-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly setting her landlord on fire in a bid to seize his property. The woman, identified as Sudeshna Jena, reportedly had a long-term relationship with the 72-year-old victim, Harihar Sahu, a retired revenue inspector.
According to police, the incident took place in Subash Nagar under the jurisdiction of Baidyanathpur police station. Jena, a widow, had been living on the first floor of the same house where Sahu resided alone on the ground floor. The two were said to have been in a relationship for about five years.
On the night of the attack, Jena allegedly entered Sahu’s room while he was asleep, poured kerosene on him, and set him ablaze. The victim was first taken to a hospital in Berhampur and later shifted to Cuttack, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M told news agency PTI that the murder was premeditated. In an attempt to destroy evidence, Jena allegedly threw Sahu’s mobile phone into the courtyard and disposed of the kerosene bottle in the fire. She then tried to mislead neighbours by claiming that two unidentified persons had broken in and set Sahu on fire.
She also informed the victim’s daughter about the incident later that morning, continuing to insist it was the work of outsiders. However, before his death, Sahu reportedly told his daughter during treatment in Cuttack that someone had doused him with kerosene and ignited it.
Following this revelation, Sahu’s daughter, Madhusmita Sahu, lodged a formal complaint at Baidyanathpur police station. “In order to grab his property, the accused murdered the deceased in a well-planned manner by sprinkling kerosene on him and setting him on fire in the night," officials informed.
The investigation confirmed the crime was committed with the motive of acquiring the victim’s property. Police have arrested Jena and further investigation is underway.
With Inputs from PTI