An Odisha Motor Vehicle Department (OMVD) constable, who sustained severe burn injuries after his wife and brother-in-law allegedly set him on fire in the Ganjam district a week ago, passed away on Friday while receiving treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Ashutosh Mrudungi, who was deployed as a constable within the OMVD division in Berhampur.
Mrudungi suffered approximately 80 per cent burns during the confrontation on the night of June 5. His family members said that he was first rushed to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur before being transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar after his condition deteriorated.
Initially, police suspected that the incident was a case of self-immolation. However, the narrative shifted after the victim’s sister, Nivedita Devi, lodged a complaint naming Mrudungi’s wife, who works as a woman constable at the Berhampur police reserve office, and his brother-in-law, according to a police officer.
“A formal case has been lodged against the two accused. We managed to document the dying declaration of the victim before he passed away. We have also recorded the accounts of the suspects alongside local residents, while a scientific forensics team has gathered physical evidence to aid the active probe,” stated Berhampur Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M.
Action will be taken against the accused if their involvement in the death is established during the investigation, he said.
In the meantime, the deceased man’s sister has demanded the immediate arrest of Mrudungi’s wife and brother-in-law, holding them entirely accountable for his demise.
According to police, Mrudungi had married the female police constable roughly 18 months ago. The marriage was reportedly strained by frequent domestic conflicts, culminating in previous cases of domestic abuse and dowry harassment being filed at the Koraput Town and Berhampur Mahila police stations based on complaints filed by the woman constable.
Police authorities added that on May 18, Mrudungi had allegedly beaten his wife, Sandhya, inflicting severe injuries to her face, abdomen, and hands while she was three months pregnant. The wife alleged that this physical assault resulted in a miscarriage on May 23.
Mrudungi was arrested by the police the same day and was released on bail on June 3.
The burn incident occurred on June 5 when he was on his way to his wife’s government quarters at Bijipur in Berhampur, police said.
