Dhenkanal: If gang raping an impoverished homeless woman in Odisha’s Dhenkanal for months was not enough cruelty, her perpetrators resorted to continue with the heinous act even after impregnating her.
The woman managing life at an abandoned Anganwadi centre with a mentally challenged and alcoholic father, tolerated the trauma for almost 7 months, thanks to indifference and apathy of the society towards her.
After prolonged torture and torment, her plight was flagged by a few activists following which police intervened when the woman is 7 months pregnant.
Police and local administration rescued her on Saturday, and she is now under the care of a district centre that provides services to women and children who are victims of violence.
While Dhenkanal police have arrested four accused involved in the crime, three others are still at large.
The arrestees have been identified Babuli Naik (40), Biranchi Moharana (32), Abinash Parida (24) and Jiban Parida (27) of Mahulapanji village under Dhenkanal Sadar police limits.
Sources said the accused took advantage of the woman’s situation and surroundings and her father’s illness to commit the brutality. Though she approached families in the neighbourhood for help, her pleas fell in deaf ears.
According to volunteers at the district centre, the woman informed that she was gang raped multiple times even after conceiving.
Meanwhile, a DSP-rank officer has been assigned to head the investigation in the case, and the SP is directly monitoring the case, police sources said.
Expressing concern over the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said in a post on X that she had spoken to the Dhenkanal SP and directed that stringent action be taken against the culprits.
