Crime News / Elderly woman found dead in Bhubaneswar, accused caretaker flees with valuables

Bhubaneswar, Nov 5: Two shocking murder cases reported from Odisha’s capital have left residents stunned and posed a major challenge for police investigators.

In one incident, a caretaker allegedly murdered an elderly woman under his care before fleeing with cash, jewellery and a scooter. In another case, a highly decomposed body was recovered near Gadakana, raising fresh concerns over violent crime in the city.

The first case came to light at the residence of Kunjalata Nanda, wife of former Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Hadibandhu Nanda, who was living alone at her Bhubaneswar home.

Also read: Nine Convicts Get Life Term in 2019 Rayagada Abduction Case

While her two sons and two daughters reside outside the city, the responsibility of looking after the elderly woman had reportedly been entrusted to caretaker Balabhadra Moharana around four months ago.

Police suspect that Maharana betrayed the family's trust and brutally murdered the woman. Preliminary investigations indicate that the victim was restrained before being killed inside her house.

The accused allegedly switched off the CCTV system after the crime, broke open cupboards and looted cash and jewellery from the residence. He is also accused of stealing the victim's gold ornaments and escaping on her scooter.

The crime was discovered on Thursday morning when the victim's younger son-in-law arrived at the house and found signs of the brutal attack. Police teams have launched a search operation to trace the accused, who remains absconding.

Meanwhile, a separate murder mystery emerged from the Gadakana area, where a decomposed body was found near Kelucharan Park. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, police have not yet been able to establish the identity of the deceased.