Dhenkanal: A woman, who was allegedly raped and brutally attacked with her face hacked in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district on Monday, has been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment after her condition worsened.
She is currently reported to be in a critical state and under intensive care.
According to sources, the incident occurred near Sapua river under Bhapur police limits in Dhenkanal. The woman had gone to the river to bathe when she was allegedly ambushed by an unidentified man, who sexually assaulted her and then inflicted severe injuries on her face with a sharp weapon before abandoning her at the spot.
A local cattle herder spotted the woman lying in a critical condition and alerted villagers as well as her family. Her family rushed to the spot and dailed for an ambulance. When an ambulance failed to arrive promptly, the family transported her using a trolley to the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Bhapur. After preliminary treatment, she was shifted to district headquarters hospital at Dhenkanal town, before being referred to SCB MCH.
A case has been registered at Bhapur police station on the basis of a complaint filed by her family.
Locals claimed that the alleged perpetrator was a known repeat offender, who had previously harassed women visiting the river to bathe or wash clothes. Despite these prior complaints, no effective action was reportedly taken against him.
While police are yet to issued any formal statement, sources indicate that no arrests have been made in the case so far.
