Cuttack, June 5: Orissa police today stalled the cremation of a 30-year-old woman in Cuttack following a tip-off that the victim had died after consuming poison after a fight with her husband.

According to police, victim Sujata Mallick, the wife of Pabitra Panda, allegedly died last night after consuming poison at her house in Kandarkana near Tangi.

While no formal complaint was lodged with Tangi police station, an anonymous called tipped the police about the death at 7am today. The force then stalled the cremation and recovered the “half-burned” body from Khannagar burning ghat around 11.15am.

Police have taken the corporeal remains into custody for forensic investigation, which would help to ascertain the cause of the death. “A case has been registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Gandharva Panda, the deceased’ father, and investigations are on,” said the officer in charge of Tangi police station, Smruti Ranjan Kar, talking to The Telegraph today.

While Pabitra is absconding his younger brother Patita has been taken into custody.

Kar said preliminary investigations have revealed that 35-year-old Pabitra, a schoolteacher, was an alcoholic. He had married Sujata six years ago and had two daughters with her.

Last night there was reportedly a tiff between the couple and after Sujata fell ill, Pabitra and Patita rushed her to a Tangi hospital where doctors referred the case to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack. She died on her way to Cuttack. Soon afterwards, Pabitra and Patita took her body to Khannagar to perform the last rites.