Jharsuguda woman kills 2 kids, attempts suicide

Jharsuguda: A 38-year-old woman allegedly killed her two children and tried to take her own life over a suspected domestic dispute with her husband at Tangarpali village under Airport police limits of Jharsugudadistrict on Saturday night.Police said the family, which lived in a one-room house, had dinner together and went to sleep on Saturday. Around 11.30 pm, accused Ranjita Oram, a homemaker, allegedly woke up, saying she needed to go to toilet, located outside. When her husband Sitaram (42), who works at an automobile service centre, stepped outside the house to accompany her, she allegedly locked the main door from inside. She then attacked her daughter Jigyasha (10) and son Bibhanshu Oram (5) with an axe, killing them on the spot.Hearing noises, Sitaram raised an alarm and sought help from neighbours. They gained entry through a window without grills, even as Ranjita allegedly tried to slit her neck using a vegetable chopper before being overpowered. The police were then alerted. The children were rushed to Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead.Jharsuguda superintendent of police (SP) G R Raghavendra said a murder case has been registered against the accused.

“Ranjita, as of now, is undergoing treatment at Vimsar, Burla, and her condition is stable. Once Ranjita is discharged from the hospital, she will be arrested and forwarded to court. A scientific team has visited the spot, and an investigation into the incident is on,” said the SP.Sitaram’s sister-in-law Manju, who lives nearby, said Ranjita suspected her husband was having an extramarital affair. “But Sitaram didn’t have any affair. The couple even had a fight over the issue a few days ago, when she had threatened to kill the children and herself. After that things, however, got back to normal, and nobody thought that she would do the same. We will never allow her to re-enter the village,” said Manju.