Woman burns house owner alive after extramarital affair turns sour

Berhampur: In a chilling incident that has sent shockwaves through the city, a woman tenant allegedly set her landlord on fire following a fallout in their extramarital relationship. The victim, identified as Harihar Sahu, a retired Reserve Inspector (RI), sustained severe burn injuries and later succumbed to them while undergoing treatment.

According to sources, Sudeshna Jena, who had been staying as a tenant in Harihar Sahu’s house in Berhampur, developed an intimate relationship with him over time. However, the relationship turned sour due to undisclosed reasons, leading to increasing tensions between the two.

The situation took a horrifying turn when Sudeshna allegedly poured kerosene on Harihar and set him ablaze. The incident occurred inside the residence, catching neighbours and family members by surprise.

Following the attack, the severely injured Harihar Sahu was initially rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. Due to the severity of his burns, he was later shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where he ultimately died during treatment.

After the incident, Harihar’s daughter filed a formal complaint with the local police, leading to an investigation.

During interrogation, police confirmed that Sudeshna Jena was responsible for the crime. “In the course of interrogation, a woman tenant living in the house confessed to the pre-planned murder of the victim and stated that she had killed him by pouring kerosene and setting the victim on fire,” said Shravan Vivek M, SP Berhampur.

The SP also confirmed that the case will now take the due course of legal action, and details of the proceedings will be declared in due time.