Jajpur/Rasulpur: The mystery shrouding the death of Ramadevi Women’s University student Jharaphula Nayak is getting deeper with each passing day as police claimed that Rakesh Swain, the prime accused in the case, killed her, a report said.
A police probe confirmed that the deceased did not die of suspected poisoning or gang rape but has been killed. Police suspected that she might have been strangulated with hand or a pillow as the post mortem report has ruled out any injury marks on her body.
The male friend of the deceased might have killed her this way, a senior police officer said. However, police are yet to find out the circumstances that prompted Rakesh to kill her girlfriend.
Police suspect that the girl refusing for physical relationship due to illness during her stay at the guest house, Rakesh taking time after promising to marry her or the girl insisting on going out on an outside tour might have led to a heated argument between the two resulting in her murder.
The accused, who is said to be a boyfriend of Jharaphula, killed her at a guesthouse, where the duo had spent a night together January 26. The body was dumped near Kuakhia, 90 km from Jajpur, to destroy evidence. Rakesh confessed to the crime before police during interrogation, the police source said.
Police have ample evidence against Rakesh Swain and the investigation is underway to collect vital evidence to make the case strong. The death mystery of Jharaphula will be cracked soon, the police said.
Reports said that Jharaphula Nayak and her alleged beau Rakesh Swain had checked into a private guesthouse at Dharma Vihar in Khandagiri area of Bhubaneswar January 26.
They stayed together in Room No 201 at night. During the period, the two got involved in a quarrel following which Rakesh killed Jharaphula on the fateful night late night. The girl is said to have died of asphyxiation.
In this connection, the police have collected many evidence during search at the guesthouse in Bhubaneswar. This clue was found in the post-mortem report while Rakesh also reportedly admitted to have choked her to death.
The guesthouse staff also reportedly told police about the alleged fight between Jharaphula and Rakesh inside the room. However, they were unaware of the reason behind their fight before the visit of Siba Prasad Swain, a friend of Rakesh, who assisted him in dumping the body in Kuakhia. sources said.
Police are also trying to recover the mobile phone of the girl which Rakesh admitted to have thrown it along with the body and in arrest of Swain who is absconding. Meanwhile, police have seized clothes and mobile phone of the deceased during investigation.
PNN