Bhubaneswar, July 1: Police suspect that retired army doctor Somnath Parida killed his wife, Ushashree, by battering her head with a heavy object, probably an iron rod.

“The condition of the skull indicates that her head was battered with a heavy iron rod,” said a senior police officer. Parida was arrested on the night of June 21 on suspicion of killing Ushashree, 60, chopping up her body into 200-odd pieces and stashing the dismembered parts away in two iron chests.

However, all eyes now will be on Parida’s lie detection test report, which will be submitted to the police on Wednesday.

“Further course of action would be initiated once we receive the lie detection test report,” said deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh.

While the cops say they have sufficient circumstantial evidence to prove Parida guilty, legal experts believe that tracing the murder weapon and motive behind the murder will remain the biggest challenge for the police.

“Lie detection test reports are not admissible in court. Absence of an eyewitness, along with the inability of the police to trace the murder weapon would be a problem for the police,” said a retired IPS officer.

On the other hand, Parida’s lawyer Ashok Raj said his bail petition would be moved in the upper court based on the preliminary police report.

Parida was subjected to a lie detection test on Saturday. During the test, the septuagenarian was apparently remorseless and answered all questions in a straightforward manner.

Parida has been repeatedly saying that he loved his wife and he was prepared for the death penalty if the murder charge against him was found to be true.

Police sources also said that he might be taken on remand again if necessary. His three-day police remand ended on June 27.