Odisha: Controversy over cremation of ex-MLA’s wife
Bhubaneswar: Odisha police on Saturday seized the half-burnt body of Ashrukana Pradhan, wife of former Brahmagiri MLA Ajay Jena, from the Satya Nagar crematorium in Bhubaneswar following allegations by family members. Relatives claimed that Pradhan’s daughter-in-law performed the cremation rites without informing the family or securing a post-mortem examination.
According to reports, Kharavelanagar police acted upon the complaint, taking possession of the body and sending it for an autopsy, scheduled at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Sunday.
The deceased's brother expressed concerns, alleging that he had not been allowed to see his sister for the past year.
“My younger sister informed me of our elder sister’s death. My family and I were kept away from her,” he said.
Another sibling stated, “My nephew informed me of the passing, so I immediately went to the crematorium, where I found her body burning. Due to her alleged confinement and mistreatment over the last one and a half months, I contacted the police.”
The daughter-in-law refuted these allegations, asserting that all necessary steps were followed. “After doctors at a private clinic declared her dead, I arranged her cremation at Satya Nagar, and proper documents were verified,” she said, adding that she informed her husband’s elder brothers of the death and did not see a need to alert the police.
Kharavelanagar police inspector Rajanikanta Mishra confirmed that a case has been registered based on the sister's formal complaint, and an investigation is underway.