Cuttack: The tag of a tailor on a blood-stained shirt and trouser helped Odisha Police crack a case of murder.
Three persons including the deceased's husband were arrested for the crime. As per reports, the police on December 13, had recovered the body of a 35-year-old woman from the banks of Kathjodi river in Cuttack under Kandarpur police station. While the deceased remained unidentified, no complaint was lodged in any police station of the state on her disappearance. The police had no clue other than recovering a chopper, the weapon used in the murder of the woman. It was a big challenge for the police to crack the case, said Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena.
He said though tattoos were found on both the hands of the deceased, it did not help the police ascertain her identity. A blood-stained shirt and pant were recovered from the water body near the spot. The clothes had the tag of 'New Star Tailors', Meena said. "This clue was focused upon. Around 10 tailors with this name or similar name in Odisha were verified and their tag design compared with the tag on the shirt and pant found at the spot. However, there was no match found. A tailor in Ganjam district informed that such tags are used in Gujarat," he said.
The DCP said Odisha Police then contacted their counterparts in Gujarat and the latter found such a tailor in Surat. The tailor's tag had a number '3833' which was matched and upon search, it was found that the shirt and pant were stitched for a man named 'Babu'. "There was no other detail available. However, the tailor gave an important clue that he had to return Rs 100 to 'Babu' but he did not have the change. So, he transferred the amount to the e-wallet of a mobile number. Police called on the number and found that it belonged to Babu's friend, he said.
"Soon, Babu's identity was ascertained as Jagannath Duhuri (27) of Kendrapada. It was found that he (Babu) was going back to Surat by train. The train was passing through Rayagada when he was nabbed," Meena said. On further verification and interrogation, it was found that he was the brother-in-law of the deceased whose identity was ascertained as Padmavati Samal of Mahakalpada in Kendrapada, he said.
Police said Jagannath committed the crime with the help of his brother Balaram Dehuri and cousin Hapi Dehuri. While all three of them were apprehended, it has come to fore that Balaram killed Padmavati with the other accused as he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair.
