Police Arrest Transport Minister's Nephew in Woman Student Abetment Case

Police in Berhampur have arrested the nephew of Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena in connection with the alleged abetment to suicide of a 20-year-old woman student studying at a private engineering college in Ganjam district. The arrest was made on Sunday following an investigation into the student's death, which occurred in a hostel on the college campus.

The accused, identified as Biswajit Jena, 24, is alleged to have been the boyfriend of the deceased, a Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) student. According to police, the young woman was found hanging from the ceiling of her hostel room on Saturday. The incident prompted an immediate investigation by local authorities, who began gathering evidence from the scene and interviewing individuals connected to the case.

Based on a complaint lodged by the deceased student's maternal uncle, police registered a case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with abetment to suicide. Saravana Vivek M said an investigation was launched soon after the complaint was received. Senior officers, along with a scientific team and an executive magistrate, visited the location to examine the circumstances surrounding the death.

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Investigators collected digital and forensic evidence from the hostel room and seized electronic devices belonging to both the deceased and the accused for technical examination. Police said the evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation contributed to the arrest of Biswajit Jena. Authorities are now analysing the digital material to determine whether it contains information relevant to the allegations.

The deceased was reportedly sharing the hostel room with her sister and three other students. Police have stated that the exact cause of death will be confirmed only after the post-mortem examination report is received. Officials have maintained that the investigation remains ongoing and that all available evidence will be examined before further action is taken.

The case has drawn political attention in Odisha, with opposition leaders demanding a fair and impartial investigation regardless of the accused's relationship with a serving minister. Leaders from the opposition Ramesh Chandra Ayyau Patnaik and local representatives called for swift legal action. Meanwhile, police have reiterated that the investigation will proceed according to law and that appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry.

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