Bhubaneswar, July 28 (UDN): A woman was allegedly murdered by her estranged husband following a domestic dispute in Bhubaneswar’s Chakeisiani area, with the accused reportedly attempting to pass off the crime as a case of suicide, police said.

The incident took place at Sahu Colony under the jurisdiction of Mancheswar Police Station. Police personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information and launched an investigation.

According to the preliminary investigation, the couple had been in a relationship since 2019 and married the same year. However, persistent marital differences had led them to live separately for the past two years, though disputes between them reportedly continued.

Police said the woman met her husband on Sunday, during which an argument allegedly broke out over their strained relationship. Investigators suspect the confrontation turned violent, with the accused allegedly strangling the woman to death.

To divert suspicion, the accused is believed to have slit the veins on the victim’s left wrist in an attempt to portray the death as a suicide, officials said.

Following the incident, the man allegedly consumed poison in an apparent suicide attempt. He was taken into police custody and admitted to a private hospital for treatment. Police said he will be formally arrested and produced before a court after his medical condition improves.

The woman’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and forensic evidence is being collected from the scene as part of the investigation.

Mancheswar Police have registered a case and are examining the circumstances that led to the alleged murder. Further investigation is underway.