Adoptive Mother's Murder Unraveled by Instagram Clues Left in Daughter’s Phone

Paralakhemundi, Odisha (The Uttam Hindu): In a deeply disturbing case, a 13-year-old girl studying in Class 8 has been arrested for allegedly murdering her adoptive mother with the help of two young men in Paralakhemundi town of Gajapati district.

The victim, 54-year-old Rajalaxmi Kar, had adopted the girl after finding her abandoned on a roadside in Bhubaneswar when she was just three days old. Having lost her husband a year later, Rajalaxmi raised the child alone and moved to Paralakhemundi to provide her with better education.

According to police, Rajalaxmi opposed the girl's relationship with two men — 21-year-old temple priest Ganesh Rath and his 20-year-old friend Dinesh Sahu. Investigations revealed that the three conspired to eliminate Rajalaxmi to gain control over her property and remove obstacles to their relationship.

On the evening of April 29, the girl allegedly gave her mother sleeping pills. Once unconscious, Rath and Sahu entered the house, and together with the girl, smothered Rajalaxmi with pillows. She was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead. The family was told she died of a heart attack, a claim supported by her prior cardiac condition.

The case unraveled when Rajalaxmi's brother discovered her daughter’s mobile phone, left behind in Bhubaneswar. Upon checking the device, he found Instagram chats that detailed the entire murder plan. The conversations included discussions about killing Rajalaxmi and pawning her gold ornaments for cash.

Following a formal police complaint on May 14, all three accused were arrested. Authorities recovered around 30 grams of gold ornaments, three mobile phones, and two pillows believed to have been used in the crime. It was also revealed that gold handed over to Rath had been pawned for approximately ₹2.4 lakh.

The police have registered charges under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and are continuing their investigation in

to the matter.