Baripada, Feb. 18: Police arrested a 34-year-old man from near the Betnoti College in Bada Sahi block for allegedly murdering a 45-year-old woman, who was a mother of four children.

The victim, Basanti Soren, is the sister-in-law of the accused, Surendra Soren.

Seven years ago, Basanti had deserted her husband to live with his younger brother, Surendra. The duo had left their ancestral village and lived in Paradip for seven years. The woman had three children from his previous marriage, and with Surendra, has another child. Later, the couple with the child had returned to their Bhandarikula village in Bada Sahi, and a few months later, Basanti again eloped with another person.

The police said Basanti had recently returned to Bhandarikula and wanted to live with Surendra. But this time, Surendra refused. Basanti, therefore, was staying in another house at the village. On Tuesday night, Surendra went to the house and allegedly slit her throat with a sharp weapon.

On hearing her screams, the villagers rushed to the crime spot, but the accused managed to give them a slip under the cover of darkness. Basanti was rushed to Betnoti hospital in a critical state. Later, she died there.

Yesterday, the cops nabbed Surendra, and today, he was produced in court.

Betnoti SDPO Dhiren Chandra Nanda said: "The accused confessed to the crime during interrogation. The motive was to take revenge."

Rape arrest

Police today arrested a rape accused who had been absconding for about a year. Shyam Patra, 44, of Baghaampuda village had allegedly raped a minor inmate of a distress home in Nilgiri.