Pregnant woman shot dead by miscreants in Odisha’s Sundargarh

Bhubaneswar: A pregnant woman was shot dead by two unidentified persons in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, police said.

The deceased was identified as Soumyamayee Behera, wife of Deben Behera of Jhirdapali village under Tikayatpali police station in the district. She was seven months pregnant, they added.

According to preliminary investigation, two unidentified persons knocked on Soumyamayee’s door late on Tuesday night. When she opened the door, they snatched her gold ornaments and shot her when she raised an alarm, a police officer said.

Soumyamayee was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead, the officer added.

A forensic team and dog squad have been sent to the crime spot, and further investigation is ongoing to nab the accused, the police officer said.

"When I was sleeping in the bedroom last night, I heard a sound like the bursting of a bomb and woke up. When I went to check, I saw my wife lying on the floor in a pool of blood," Deben said.