Overview
- The 22-year-old woman set herself on fire at her in‑laws’ home on Thursday and was moved to a Bhubaneswar hospital with life‑threatening burn injuries.
- While receiving treatment she gave a statement accusing her 57‑year‑old father, a high school teacher, of prolonged sexual abuse, including after her marriage.
- Police seized the victim’s and accused’s mobile phones, sent a scientific team to collect material evidence, and registered a suo motu case at Nimakhandi police station.
- Authorities say prima facie evidence led to the father’s arrest and court production, and investigators are examining chat records and other digital material for signs of blackmail over intimate images and a disputed Rs 10–11 lakh loan.
- The probe is ongoing with forensic analysis of phones and the crime scene under way, potential other suspects being vetted, and the survivor remaining in critical condition while legal proceedings continue.