Bhubaneswar, Feb. 12: The trial of the sensational Ushashree murder case began in court of district and sessions judge here today.
Retired army doctor Somnath Parida, who allegedly killed his wife Ushashree and chopped her body into pieces, was present during the trial that lasted for around 45 minutes.
Parida was seen sitting calmly outside the courtroom following the hearing.
“Keshab Chandra Purty, one of the witnesses, was examined today,” said public prosecutor Bidhu Bhusan Mohanty.
Police have mentioned the statements of as many as 29 witnesses in the charge sheet. These include the statements of Parida’s son and daughter, the brother of Ushashree, the family’s gardener and domestic help.
However, there are no eyewitnesses in the case.
Purty, a constable of Nayapalli police station, told the court that the police reached the residence of the army doctor on June 22.
“We entered the house after our scientific team arrived there. We found the mutilated body parts kept in 22 steel containers and hidden in 10 trunks. As per direction of the investigating officer, we took the body parts to Sriram Chandra Bhanja (SCB) Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack. I was also present when the viscera and other body parts were handed over to the state forensic laboratory,” said defence counsel, Sangram Keshari Pradhan quoting Purty.
Somnath Parida, 71, a retired army doctor, was arrested in connection with the murder on June 21.
Parida was arrested under sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of Indian Penal Code.
The police had said that strained relationship between the couple was the motive behind the crime.
Parida had denied the murder charges and maintained that his wife committed suicide and he had stored the body parts to carry them to Shirdi for last rites.
Though the murder took place on June 3, the matter came in light on June 21 after the victim’s relative had approached the police as they failed to contact her.
