What began as a suspected self-immolation case in Odisha has transformed into a murder investigation, leading to the arrest of three family members. Jyotiranjan, who resided in Saripur village under the Balianta Police Station limits, passed away at AIIMS Bhubaneswar from severe burn injuries. The police initially considered the event a suicide, but new findings have changed the course of the investigation. Based on the FIR filed by his wife, Bijayalaxmi Behera, Jyotiranjan’s father, stepmother, and stepbrother are accused of pouring petrol on him and setting him on fire on Friday. The alleged motive is a long-standing family dispute over property, according to police. Jyotiranjan received initial medical attention at the Aithantar Community Health Centre and later was transferred to Capital Hospital before being admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The police have found preliminary evidence suggesting an attempt to murder him due to a land dispute. Post-mortem reports are pending and are expected to support the investigation. The accused are identified as Surendranath Mathia (74), Parvati Mathia (50), and Prashant Kumar Mathia (34). Bijayalaxmi further explained that the dispute was over her father-in-law denying Jyotiranjan his rightful property share. The investigation has revealed that what was initially taken as a self-immolation attempt was actually a planned murder.
