Married woman found dead in Jharkhand’s Koderma, family alleges murder; in-laws absconding

Koderma (Jharkhand), April 29 (IANS) A 25-year-old married woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances on Wednesday in Nandodih village under the Jainagar police station limits of Jharkhand’s Koderma district, triggering panic in the area.

The deceased has been identified as Archana Kumari, wife of Santosh Kumar Pandit. Following the incident, her family has levelled serious allegations of murder against her in-laws.

According to officials and family members, Archana was married to Santosh Pandit in 2018 as per Hindu customs. In the initial years, the marriage was reportedly stable, and the couple had two daughters. However, her family claimed that marital discord had surfaced in recent months.

Archana’s brother, Anil Pandit, alleged that she was being harassed at her matrimonial home despite repeated attempts by both families to resolve the disputes amicably. On Wednesday morning, the family received a phone call from Archana’s sister-in-law informing them that her condition had suddenly worsened.

When her relatives reached the house in Nandodih, they found Archana lying dead near the bathroom. The family alleged that there were visible marks around her neck, raising suspicion that she had been strangled. They further claimed that the body may have been moved to the bathroom area in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Following the incident, Archana’s husband, Santosh Pandit, and other members of his family allegedly fled the house and are currently absconding, the family said.

On receiving information, Jainagar police station in-charge Vikas Kumar, along with a team, rushed to the spot. The body was taken into custody and sent to Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Police said that all angles are being probed and the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the post-mortem report. Meanwhile, the victim’s family has demanded the immediate arrest of the accused and strict action in the case.

–IANS

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