Odisha: Authorities in Odisha’s Gajapati district have arrested ten people, including eight women and a local ward member, for allegedly killing a 60-year-old man accused of repeated sexual assaults and later burning his body to destroy evidence.

The incident reportedly occurred on the night of 3 June. According to police, the man had allegedly raped a 52-year-old widow that evening. Following the incident, a group of women—some of whom had reportedly suffered similar assaults at the hands of the same man—held a meeting and decided to take matters into their own hands.

“They went to his house while he was asleep. The 52-year-old widow led the attack and hacked him to death with the support of other women and two men,” said Basant Sethi, officer-in-charge of Mohana Police Station.

The man’s remains—bones and ashes—were later found by police on a hillock near a forested area, approximately 2 km from the village. His family had earlier reported him missing, prompting the investigation.

Gajapati Superintendent of Police Jatindra Kumar Panda confirmed that none of the women had previously filed police complaints against the deceased. At least six of the arrested women told police they had been assaulted by the man in the past.

The accused, a widower for the last four years, is believed to have sexually assaulted several women in the village over time. According to police, the survivors said they had endured the abuse silently until they decided to end the cycle of violence themselves.

Further investigation is underway.
(With PTI inputs)