Dhenkanal, Aug. 3: A 35-year-old man allegedly killed his wife with a sharp-edged weapon and also attempted to kill himself by cutting his throat today at Bhuban in Dhenkanal.

Police said Binod Sahu, 35, had a quarrel with his 30-year-old wife Bijaylaxmi last night. Following this, he allegedly started beating his two sons mercilessly. Finding the sons being beaten up, Bijaylaxmi intervened and sent the sons outside her room. Binod then shut the door of the room from inside and attacked his wife with a sharp-edged weapon and killed her. After killing his wife, he also tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat by the same weapon.

The police broke open the door today and recovered Binod, who was lying in a pool of blood. He was immediately sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. The police also found the body of Bijaylaxmi.

“We heard loud noise and screams of Bijaylaxmi last night calling for help as she was attacked by her husband. But we did not dare to interfere. Earlier, Binod had attempted to kill us for silly reasons. He was mentally ill for some time,” said Sradhanjali Sahu, a neighbour.

“Binod used to run a meat shop. But he was unemployed for sometime and was not mentally sound,” said inspector in-charge of Bhuban police station Sudam Sahu. The police said they reached the spot as soon as they got information. But they had to wait till the forensic team reached the spot around 1pm.

“We thought Binod, along with his wife, might have been dead. But, to our surprise, we found him alive when the door was opened,” said the police officer. He declined to state any reason behind the murder of the woman as the man was not mentally sound and was not in a condition to speak. “I have registered a case of murder against him. Investigation will make clear the motive behind the murder,” he added.