Police To Record Fresh Statement Of Kalahandi Gang-Rape Victim

Bhawanipatna: The police on Friday said that they will record a fresh statement of the 22-year-old woman who was allegedly gangraped inside Jaring forest in Junagarh in Kalahandi district.

In a statement to the media, she said that the bus driver who had given her a lift on his bike is the prime accused. The victim had told the media,” While the police have arrested nine accused, why did they let Lalindra scot-free when he was the prime accused? I will commit suicide if the police does not arrest him immediately.”

Kalahandi SP, B Gangadhar told mediapersons that naming the prime accused warrants a fresh statement since the victim had neither mentioned the name of the bus driver Lalindra Sabar in her complaint and nor stated his name during her statement under Section 161 and 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

“The investigating officer (IO) and a Mahila Police officer have been sent to her village. If she mentions Lalindra Sabar’s name, police will take stern action against him,” he told mediapersons here.

In a press briefing in Bhubaneswar later in the day, BJP state general secretary Lekhasri Samantsinghar had alleged that the Junagarh police have released Lalindra due to pressure from the ruling BJD.

“Lalindra is the driver of a private bus owned by Prabodh Rath, working president of the Kalahandi District BJD unit and is close to the local MLA and the minister Dibya Shankar Mishra,” she said.

“As the victim has named Lalindra as the prime accused, let the minister direct Prabodh Rath to ask his bus driver to surrender before the police,” she demanded.

Denying his role in the incident, the minister said that this highly sensitive incident should not be politicized.