Woman journalist found dead on rail tracks

Bhubaneswar: The mutilated body of a woman journalist was found on the railway tracks in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday evening. Her husband, who was accused of maintaining extramarital relationships with multiple women, was arrested on the charge of abetment to suicide, Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh said on Thursday. They were married around four months ago.

Madhusmita Parida, the journalist working for a web channel, was found dead on the railway tracks in Bapuji Nagar area of Bhubaneswar on Wednesday evening. During an investigation, it was found that the relationship between the husband, who is an Air Force employee, and his wife, was strained after Madhusmita discovered his alleged extra-marital affairs with multiple women, Singh said.

The husband of the deceased, Sridhar Jena, had threatened to divorce his wife, the police officer said. After registering a case, police arrested Sridhar on Thursday for abetting the suicide of his wife, Singh said. A separate unnatural death case has been registered by the GRP, Bhubaneswar.

Madhusmita was living in Lingipur area in Bhubaneswar while Sridhar was staying somewhere else. Late on July 22, Madhusmita went to Dhauli police station and alleged that Jena had returned to Odisha on holiday 12 days ago, but he was ignoring her, the DCP said. Madhusmita’s mother also reached the police station later and they returned home.

On July 23, the couple submitted in writing at the police station that the relationship between them was normal and they had no complaints against each other, the DCP said.

Singh claimed that it appeared that the journalist had seen something on her husband’s phone and learnt about his relationship with other women, due to which she was disturbed. He further said the police had seized Jena’s mobile phone.

The police will examine CCTV footage to check the movement of Madhusmita to the railway tracks where her body was recovered.