Rayagada: Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested Bikash Bagh, the personal driver of Laxmipur MLA Pabitra Saunta, on Sunday for allegedly misbehaving with a 12-year-old girl aboard Hirakhand Express.
The incident occurred on Saturday night on the train travelling en route to Bhubaneswar from Koraput.
According to sources, the accused driver allegedly made inappropriate gestures and inappropriately touched a minor girl, the daughter of a Railway Protection Force (RPF) official travelling with his family in the same compartment, while she was asleep. The girl raised an alarm and informed her mother, who confronted Bagh, leading to a heated argument.
Following a written complaint filed by the victim’s father at the Rayagada GRP station on Sunday morning, a police team boarded the compartment upon its arrival at Rayagada railway station and detained Bagh for questioning. A case was also registered against him under the stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“The accused allegedly misbehaved with the minor girl while they were travelling on Hirakhand Express. The girl later informed her mother about the incident, following which the latter had a heated exchange with the accused. Based on a complaint, a case has been registered under the POCSO Act and various sections of the BNS,” Rayagada GRP Inspector-in-Charge Binay Kumar Minz told the media.
Following a mandatory medical examination, Bagh was forwarded to court on Sunday evening.
Sources further stated that MLA Pabitra Saunta was travelling in a different coach and his Personal Security Officer (PSO) was present on the train during the commotion.
