Man Kills Wife Over Subhadra Yojana Money In Odisha
Woman allegedly attacked with spear after refusing husband’s demand for money to buy alcohol.
A woman was allegedly killed by her husband in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district after she refused to hand over money received under the state government’s Subhadra Yojana, which he reportedly wanted to spend on alcohol, police said on Sunday.
The incident took place late on Saturday night at Balarampur village under Jankoti in the Jagatsinghpur Sadar police station area. The accused, identified as Digambar Swain, allegedly attacked his wife with a spear during an argument inside their house, police said.
The woman sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Following the attack, Swain allegedly attempted to die by suicide, but villagers caught him and handed him over to the police. Jagatsinghpur police reached the village after being alerted and recovered the woman’s body. The accused was detained and is being questioned.
Jagatsinghpur police station Officer-in-Charge Sushant Kumar Sahoo said the immediate trigger appeared to be a dispute over money received under the Subhadra scheme.
“He asked his wife for the Subhadra Yojana money to buy alcohol, but she refused. Following this, they got into a heated argument, and in a fit of rage, he attacked his wife,” Sahoo said.
Police said the accused confessed to the crime during questioning. Further investigation is underway to establish the circumstances leading to the killing.
The incident comes days after a similar case was reported from Dhenkanal district, where a man from Indirapur village allegedly beat his wife to death after she refused to give him Subhadra Yojana money to buy alcohol.
The incidents have raised concerns over the vulnerability of women receiving direct financial assistance under welfare schemes, particularly in households affected by alcohol abuse and domestic violence.
The Subhadra Yojana is a flagship welfare scheme of the Odisha government that provides eligible women aged between 21 and 60 years with financial assistance of Rs 10,000 annually, subject to the scheme's eligibility conditions. The scheme was introduced after the BJP formed the government in Odisha in 2024, ending the Biju Janata Dal's 24-year rule in the state.
