90-year-old woman, daughter killed in fire in Odisha's Sambalpur

Sambalpur: A 90-year-old woman and her daughter were killed allegedly after a fire broke out in their house in Odisha's Sambalpur district, a police officer said on Wednesday.

The incident happened in the Hatapada area under the limits of Sambalpur Sadar police station of the district on Tuesday night when they were sleeping, the police officer said.

The deceased were identified as Snehalata Dikshit (90) and Sairendri Dikshit (62).

The old woman and her 62-year-old daughter used to stay on the first floor of a two-storey building. Her son lives on the ground floor of the building with his family, the officer said.

On seeing the blaze on the first floor of the building between 10.30 pm and 11 pm on Tuesday, locals intimated the police.

A police team reached the spot and found that Sairendri Dikshit was engulfed in flames. The police doused the fire but she was dead by that time, Sub-divisional police officer of Sambalpur Sadar, Tophan Bag, said.

The team also found the 90-year-old woman's burnt body in another room, he said.

Bag said the bodies have been recovered and sent to a hospital for post-mortem examination. The forensic team also reached the spot to collect evidence.

The police team had found that the main door was locked from inside, while a small gate was open, the SDPO also said.

Meanwhile, Snehalata Dikshit’s younger daughter Indrani Purohit alleged that her brother killed the duo over a land and property dispute.

Speaking on the allegation, the SDPO said the police would investigate the case from all angles.