Kendrapada: The 16-year-old girl, who was conferred the National Bravery Award this year, has been missing from her house at Nipania village under Jamboo marine police limits since Monday, The New Indian Express (TNIE) reported.
The family members of the girl alleged she was abducted by a youth who wanted to marry her, the report said.
The victim was student of Class X in a school near her village and had received the National Bravery Award along with another girl, Purnima Giri in January after they saved 12 persons from drowning in Mahanadi river. Both of them were also conferred the Biju Patnaik Bravery Award on August 29 in Bhubaneswar, TNIE reported.
Jamboo marine IIC Maheswar Sethi said the victim’s father had filed a complaint on Monday. Her father suspected that she might have been lured by Pradip Khada of Salio village within Erasama police limits. An FIR was registered against Pradip on the girl’s father’s complaint.
A case has been registered under sections 366, 363, 368 and 506 of IPC and section 8 of POCSO Act, 2012. Investigation into the matter is on.