A teenage girl and her two male friends were detained in Odisha for the killing of the woman who had adopted and raised her since infancy. The 54-year-old victim, Rajalaxmi Kar, was reportedly suffocated to death on April 29 at her residence in Gajapati district.
Girl was allegedly in relationship with two men
Authorities report that the 13-year-old girl plotted with priest Ganesh Rath and Dinesh Sahu, the murder of Rajalaxmi due to her disapproval of their relationship and to seize her property. The teenager was allegedly involved with Rath and Sahu.
According to Gajapati SP Jatindra Kumar Panda, Rajalaxmi and her husband found the baby girl on a street in Bhubaneswar almost 13 years ago. The childless couple welcomed the baby and raised her. A year later, Rajalaxmi’s spouse died. Since then, she had alone brought up the girl.
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A few years back, Rajalaxmi relocated to Paralakhemundi for her daughter to attend Kendriya Vidyalaya. She rented a home in the city and dedicated her life to the child’s future.
However, the situation turned grim when the girl allegedly began a relationship with Rath and Sahu, who were both much older than her. Rajalaxmi protested vehemently, leading to increasing tension between them.
As per police reports, the girl had previously given some of Rajalaxmi’s gold jewelry to Rath, who allegedly pawned them for about Rs 2.4 lakh.
Rajalaxmi was suffocated to death while at home
“The three suspects suffocated Rajalaxmi with pillows while she was at her residence. Following her murder, they attempted to conceal it,” the SP stated.
The girl allegedly informed neighbors and friends that her mother had passed away from a heart attack. She reportedly brought the body to Puri and cremated it there, trying to resolve the situation before any inquiries arose.
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However, suspicion grew among Rajalaxmi’s family, who subsequently submitted a report at the Paralakhemundi police station. Throughout the inquiry, police discovered multiple pieces of evidence — such as three cell phones containing damning messages, two pillows involved in the homicide, and approximately 30 grams of pilfered gold jewelry.
“All three — the girl, Rath, and Sahu — have been arrested,” the police said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
