Nearly 14 years ago, a childless couple discovered a newborn girl lying abandoned by the roadside in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. They adopted her and raised her as their own. However, in a shocking twist, the girl, now 13, has been arrested for murdering her adoptive mother, allegedly with the help of two men.
Police reveal details of the crime
According to the Gajapati district police, the Class 8 student planned the murder of 54-year-old Rajalaxmi Kar with the help of two men — temple priest Ganesh Rath (21) and his friend Dinesh Sahu (20), both residents of Paralakhemundi town.
The murder happened on April 29 at Rajalaxmi’s rented home in Paralakhemundi. Police said the girl wanted to eliminate her mother because she opposed her relationship with the two men and controlled the family’s assets.
Sedated and smothered
On the evening of the murder, the girl allegedly gave Rajalaxmi sleeping pills. Once she was unconscious, the girl called Rath and Sahu. The trio then smothered Rajalaxmi using pillows.
Afterwards, they rushed her to a hospital, claiming she had suffered a heart attack. Doctors declared her dead, and the family cremated her the next day in Bhubaneswar. The relatives were told that she died from natural causes, especially since she had a known heart condition.
Case cracked through Instagram chats
For over two weeks, the crime remained hidden. But everything changed when Rajalaxmi’s brother, Siba Prasad Mishra, found the girl’s phone in Bhubaneswar. While going through the device, he discovered disturbing Instagram messages.
The chats revealed a detailed murder plan. They discussed how to kill Rajalaxmi, and how to split her gold and cash. After reading the messages, Mishra filed a complaint at the Paralakhemundi police station on May 14.
All three accused arrested
Following his complaint, police began an investigation. They soon arrested all three accused — the teenage girl, Rath, and Sahu. According to Superintendent of Police Jatindra Kumar Panda, “Rajalaxmi and her husband found the girl abandoned on the roadside when she was an infant. They adopted her and brought her home.”
Just one year after the adoption, Rajalaxmi’s husband passed away. From then on, she raised the child alone. She later moved to Paralakhemundi to admit her daughter into Kendriya Vidyalaya and rented a house there.
Relationship turned deadly
Over time, the girl reportedly entered into a romantic relationship with Rath and also knew Sahu. Rajalaxmi objected to this. Police said this created tension between the mother and daughter. Eventually, Rath convinced the girl that if they killed Rajalaxmi, they could be together and inherit her property. Police said, “Rath instigated the girl to go ahead with the murder by promising that they could continue their relationship without any objection.”
Gold pawned, evidence recovered
After the crime, the girl allegedly gave some of Rajalaxmi’s gold ornaments to Rath. He reportedly pawned them for around ₹2.4 lakh. During the investigation, police recovered 30 grams of gold jewellery, three mobile phones, and two pillows believed to have been used in the murder. The shocking case has stunned the local community and drawn widespread attention due to the girl’s young age and the brutal betrayal of a woman who gave her everything.
