Balasore, Odisha : A tragic and shocking case of suspected dowry death has emerged from Balasore district, where police not only arrested the husband but also carried the bride’s body on their shoulders to perform her last rites after the grieving family refused to accept it.
The victim, Kavita Jena, daughter of Tapan Kumar Jena of Bardhanadi village, had married Shania Mahalik of Nalbahar in February this year. At marriage, furniture and cash were allegedly given as dowry. But within two months, Kavita faced relentless torture for a gold necklace, demanded by her husband.
On Raksha Bandhan, Kavita confided in her father about the abuse and pleaded to meet her husband’s demands. Despite parental counseling, she returned to her in-laws’ house—only to meet a tragic end.
On Tuesday evening, her in-laws informed that Kavita had “fallen ill with fever.” But when her family reached Basta hospital, they found her lifeless body abandoned in the veranda, with a suspicious mark on her neck. Locals later revealed she had allegedly been strangled to death.
Anguished, her family filed a police complaint accusing her in-laws of murder. Acting swiftly, Basta police arrested husband Shania, while other family members fled.
After post-mortem, when police tried to hand over the body, her parents refused to accept it, demanding justice first. In a rare and emotional moment, police officers carried the body for 2 km on their shoulders and performed the cremation themselves.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage against dowry-related violence, while locals have hailed the police for their extraordinary humanity in ensuring the deceased received her final rites with dignity.
