Cuttack, Sept 3: In a dramatic turn of events, a married woman in Odisha’s Cuttack district allegedly staged her own drowning in the Mahanadi river to elope with her boyfriend to Puri.

As per reports, the woman hailing from Ratagarh village under Banki police limits was suspected to have drowned during the ‘Khudurukuni’ idol immersion on Monday morning. Puja materials and some of her personal belongings were found on the riverbank, sparking panic among locals.

Residents feared the woman had been swept away by the river’s strong current. Fire personnel and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) launched an intensive three-day search operation in the river, but no trace of her was found.

The mystery deepened until police investigations revealed that the woman had crossed the river and fled to Puri with her partner. She was later traced to Chudanga Sahi in Puri town, where the couple was staying together. Puri Town police detained both individuals on Tuesday night.

The woman is now in police custody. Banki IIC Dillip Kumar Mardaraj Bhuyan confirmed the development, stating, “Today, the woman’s husband informed me that she was at Puri Town police station. After receiving the information, we sent a team to bring her back. Further details will be known after her return.”

This incident, which began as a suspected tragedy, has now turned into a tale of deception, leaving villagers stunned and authorities probing deeper into the motivations behind the act.