Odisha doctor hacks wife's body into pieces, arrested

A retired army doctor was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife after chopped parts of her body were found inside nearly two dozen steel containers in two iron boxes at their home here, police said Saturday.

Police raided the house of Col (retd.) Somanath Parida, in the Nayapalli area Friday night after some relatives went to meet the couple but did not find his wife, Usashri, at home. Suspecting foul play, they informed police.

During a search, police stumbled upon two iron boxes in which the chopped body parts were found, placed in 22 steel containers, along with some dissection instruments.

Police also found a plastic bag inside a bathroom in which they suspect the leg bones of the dead woman were kept.

Although police suspect Parida killed his wife, he has yet to confess to the crime and claims that his wife committed suicide.

Parida however admitted that he cut down the body into pieces because he wanted to keep the matter secret as the death would come as a shock to his children and other family members.

Police suspect Parida killed his wife about a fortnight ago, chopped her body into small pieces and was allegedly disposing of them over the past days.

Assistant Commissioner of Police BC Mishra said that Parida was arrested on the basis of prima facie evidence.

Investigation is on to ascertain the exact reason behind the alleged murder, he added.

Parida's son and daughter live abroad.