**Teen and Friends Arrested for Murder of Adoptive Mother in Odisha**
A 13-year-old girl and her two male companions have been arrested in Odisha for the murder of her adoptive mother, 54-year-old Rajalaxmi Kar. The incident occurred on April 29 at their rented residence in Gajapati district, where Rajalaxmi was allegedly smothered to death.
According to police reports, the teenager conspired with Ganesh Rath, a temple priest, and Dinesh Sahu to kill Rajalaxmi due to her disapproval of their relationship and to gain access to her property. The girl was reportedly involved romantically with both Rath and Sahu, who are significantly older than her.
Gajapati Superintendent of Police Jatindra Kumar Panda shared that Rajalaxmi and her late husband had found the infant girl abandoned on a roadside in Bhubaneswar nearly 13 years ago. The couple, unable to have children of their own, adopted the baby and raised her as their own. After Rajalaxmi’s husband passed away a year later, she dedicated her life to nurturing the girl.
Several years later, Rajalaxmi relocated to Paralakhemundi to provide her daughter with a better education at Kendriya Vidyalaya. She rented a home in the area and focused on her child’s future. However, tensions escalated when the girl began a relationship with Rath and Sahu, leading to conflicts with Rajalaxmi.
Police investigations revealed that the girl had previously given some of Rajalaxmi’s gold jewelry to Rath, who allegedly pawned it for approximately Rs 2.4 lakh. The trio reportedly smothered Rajalaxmi with pillows while she was at home and attempted to conceal the crime. Following the murder, the girl allegedly informed neighbors that her mother had died of a heart attack and took the body to Puri for cremation, hoping to avoid suspicion.
However, concerns from Rajalaxmi’s relatives prompted them to file a complaint at the Paralakhemundi police station. During the investigation, authorities uncovered critical evidence, including three mobile phones containing incriminating messages, two pillows used in the murder, and around 30 grams of stolen gold ornaments.
All three suspects— the girl, Rath, and Sahu— have been arrested, and the investigation is ongoing.
**FAQ**
*What led to the murder of Rajalaxmi Kar?*
The murder was allegedly motivated by the girl’s desire to gain control of Rajalaxmi’s property and her relationship with two older men, which Rajalaxmi opposed.