Raped by boyfriend, then stranger on same day: Chilling details emerge in Odisha woman’s death

A 23-year-old woman in Odisha was allegedly raped twice in a single day — first by her boyfriend and later by a man who offered to help her — before being pushed to her death from a four-storey building, police said.

The incident reportedly took place on February 22 in Jagatsinghpur district. According to police, both accused have been arrested and booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for kidnapping, rape and murder, news agency PTI reported.

Sequence of events

Police said the woman had left her home to meet her boyfriend, who had called her to a temple promising marriage. Instead, he allegedly took her to a secluded location, raped her and later abandoned her at Rahama bus stand.

Distressed and stranded, the woman remained at the bus stand seeking assistance. At that point, a motorcycle rider from Jharkhand heading towards Paradip allegedly approached her and offered help. Police said he later took her to the rooftop of his rented accommodation in Paradip town.

There, he allegedly raped her before pushing her off the building, resulting in her death. Her body was found the following morning.

The victim’s brother had reported her missing on the evening of February 22 after she failed to return home. When her body was recovered on February 23, police initially registered an unnatural death case. A detailed complaint alleging rape and murder was filed on February 25, following which both accused were arrested.

Political reactions

The case has sparked sharp political reactions in the state. Naveen Patnaik, president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Leader of the Opposition, said the incident highlighted serious concerns about women’s safety.

In a post on X, Patnaik questioned the gap between official claims and ground realities regarding law and order. He alleged that failure to take stringent action against offenders was emboldening criminals and urged the state government to take proactive steps to strengthen women’s safety measures and ensure strict enforcement of the law.