Jagatsinghpur: An 18-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by two youths under the Sadar police limits in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district on Monday night.
According to sources, the incident took place while she was on her way to attend a birthday celebration at a friend’s house in a nearby village. She left home with the friend at around 8 pm and was intercepted by the two youths while taking a shortcut through farmlands to reach there early. The youths reportedly dragged the victim to a secluded area and allegedly raped her even as her friend fled.
Her family found her bleeding from private parts when she returned home, and rushed her to district headquarters hospital in an ambulance. The incident took place barely 400 metres away from her house.
Her father then lodged a complaint on the basis of which Jagatsinghpur police began an investigation and seized a mobile phone, believed to be of one of the accused, from the spot. A scientific team visited the spot to collect evidence. Three teams were also formed to nab the culprits, suspected to be from a nearby village. The girl’s friend and her mother are also being questioned.
“The incident occurred at an isolated place within Town police limits. A search operation was launched and one culprit was apprehended on Monday night,” Jagatsinghpur SP, Bhawani Sankar Udgata, told the media.
Efforts are on to nab the other accused involved in the crime, he added.
Meanwhile, the BJD has warned to gherao the SP’s office if the accused are not arrested within 24 hours.