Bhubaneswar: The test identification (TI) parade of Sreedhar Panda (24) alias Santosh, who allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman by threatening her with a toy gun at her rented flat, was held at Jharpada special jail in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media, Bhubaneswar DCP Saravana Vivek M stated that the accused was made to stand among nine other persons of similar appearance during the exercise held in the presence of a magistrate. The survivor examined all ten individuals and correctly identified the accused. “The case is being investigated by an ACP. We are hopeful of completing all legal procedures and file a chargesheet within 15-20 days. We will also move for a speedy trial in a fast-track court,” the DCP added.
A Test Identification (TI) Parade is a critical investigative tool in major criminal cases, enabling victims or eyewitnesses to identify a suspect under strict legal safeguards without prior influence. To guarantee judicial compliance, the proceeding was audio-visually recorded and will be presented to the court alongside supporting medical, forensic, digital, and circumstantial evidence, sources said.
This comes a day after seized a toy gun, six mobile phones and other articles from the mother of the accused. The t-shirt worn by the accused during the crime (identified via CCTV footage) has also been recovered. These apart, over 300 CCTV video clips tracking the accused’s movement have been secured and will be submitted as strong digital evidence under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
According to the complaint, Panda, described as a habitual offender with prior cases of mobile theft and burglary in the Khandagiri and Tamando areas, forcibly entered the rented accommodation of the 26-year-old woman, employed as an engineer in a private company, in Nayapalli area on the night of September 30. Police later stated that the accused, a native of Jagannathprasad in Ganjam district who was residing in Mancheswar, had initially entered with the intention of committing theft after conducting a recce of the area. Finding the woman alone, he covered his face with a gamucha (towel), threatened her with what appeared to be a firearm, later recovered as a toy gun or gun-shaped lighter, and sexually assaulted her. He fled without taking any items, scaling a rear boundary wall.
Also Read: How A Theft Attempt Turned Into Sexual Assault In Bhubaneswar, Suspect Used Gun-Shaped Lighter
Panda reportedly walked to the nearby flyover and boarded Ama Bus towards Fire Station Square, before taking an auto-rickshaw to Unit-I area, where he stole a motorcycle. He was traced to Chandaka area, where a joint team of the Special Squad and Nayapalli police intercepted him on October 3. When he allegedly attacked a sub-inspector with a screwdriver while trying to flee, officers fired two rounds in self-defence, injuring him in the right leg. He was treated at Capital Hospital before his formal arrest on October 4. Two persons allegedly involved in purchasing and dismantling the stolen motorcycle have also been arrested.