20-year-old woman killed in Odisha over dowry, body buried in

The body of a 20- year-old married woman, who had been missing since January 1, was exhumed by police from a mango orchard in Odisha's Sambalpur, officials said on Sunday.

The woman, identified as Arati Singh, was married to one Kunal Singh Yadav (22) in 2018. Both of them were from Arrah in Bihar and used to stay here with family, police said.

Arati's father Satyendra Singh had given Rs 4 lakh as dowry to Kunal's family during their wedding, but the woman was allegedly tortured for more money, police said.

Kunal and his family members were further demanding Rs 1 lakh and a gold chain, they said.

Satyendra had spoken to Arati on December 31 over the phone. He again called on January 2 but was told by Kunal that Arati had been missing, police said.

When Satyendra arrived here on January 7, he found that Kunal's house was locked up. Thereafter, he lodged a complaint at the women's police station alleging that his daughter might have been killed, officials said.

Kunal was nabbed by a special team formed by the police to investigate the case. The body was exhumed from a mango orchard at Bagdihi in the Dhanupali police station limits based on information obtained after interrogating him, police said.

At least five persons are suspected to be involved in the incident and the matter is being further investigated, said PK Mohapatra, additional superintendent of police of Sambalpur.

The body has been sent for autopsy, he added.