Unidentified assailants allegedly murdered a 75-year-old widow who was staying alone in her house in highway-side Badapala village, about 20 KM from here, police said.
The victim Swarnalata Samantray's body was found early morning today with her hands and legs tied up. She was strangulated to death, police said.
The woman, whose only son is staying in US and daughter is employed in state capital, hailed from a rich family.
From preliminary investigation, it appeared that robbery was the motive of the crime, they said adding jewelleries and other valuables were missing from her house.
Police are suspecting a group of labourers for committing the crime. The suspected persons were staying near victim's house and escaped after the murder, said Kendrapara Superintendent of Police, Rabi Narayan Behera.
Scientific team of police wing besides sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to elicit material evidence of the crime.
A case has been registered; he said adding that investigation is underway to crack the murder case shortly.
