Four of a family charred to death in Odisha

Four members of a family, including two women, were charred to death after their house caught fire at Banapata village in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district, a police officer said on Monday.

Nabaghana Sahu, his wife Kamala Sahu and son-in-law Harekrushna Mallick died on the spot on Sunday night, while daughter Rubina succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in neighbouring Cuttack district early Monday, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) S C Mallick said.

Local residents, on noticing the smoke and flames, pulled the four members out of their house before informing the police, he said.

"It is not known as to what led to the fire at Sahu household in Kujanga police station area of the district on Sunday, but police are probing the case from all angles," the SDPO said, adding that the bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

A villager, however, claimed on condition of anonymity that Rubina Mallick, in her dying statement, said her husband set the house on fire following a dispute with Sahu and his wife.