Monika had married accused Deepak Kumar Jena of Ranpur of the same district in 2019. Deepak worked in Chennai and other places outside Odisha, while Monika stayed with her mother and elder sister in Bhubaneswar. The accused, who had recently returned to Odisha, allegedly took away their son around two months ago. Citing the statement of Monika’s elder sister, ACP Senapati said Deepak had been looking for her and eventually traced the house in Chakeisiani. The Commissionerate Police said the accused murdered Monika by throttling her with a towel and later slashed the veins of her left wrist.