Bhubaneswar, Sept 3: A dramatic incident unfolded in Ratagarh village under Banki police limits in Cuttack district, where a woman allegedly staged her own drowning in the Mahanadi river to elope with her boyfriend. The incident occurred on Monday morning during the immersion of the ‘Khudurukuni’ puja idol. Villagers spotted puja materials and her personal belongings on the riverbank, sparking fears that she had drowned in the strong current.

The suspected drowning triggered panic across the locality. Fire service personnel launched an intensive search in the river for three consecutive days, but no trace of the woman was found. As search efforts failed, suspicion grew about the circumstances of her disappearance.

Investigations later revealed that the woman, identified as Swati (name changed), had crossed the river and fled with her boyfriend. The mystery was solved when police traced the duo to Chudanga Sahi in Puri town, where they were living together.

Confirming the development, Banki IIC Dillip Kumar Mardaraj Bhuyan said that the woman’s husband alerted police after learning she was in Puri Town police station. A team has been dispatched to bring her back, and further details will emerge after interrogation.

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