23-Year-Old Absconding Neighbour Arrested For ‘Raping’ 3-Yr-Old Girl In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Airfield Police on Tuesday arrested a youth in connection with the alleged raped of a 3-year-old in Odisha capital.

The accused has been identified as Santosh Khuntia (23).

He will be produced in court after a medical examination at Capital Hospital, police said.

The condition of the rape survivor is stated to be stable. “The child was examined at the hospital yesterday. Her parents and grandmother had accompanied her. An ultrasound was conducted on her today. Her condition is stable,” said superintendent, Capital Hospital, Dillip Panda.

The accused neighbour was under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly raped the minor girl when she had come to his house to play. No one was present in the house when the incident occurred.

Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh said that the parents found the child at the neighbour’s place and soon reported the matter to police, which then launched a manhunt to nab him. “A special team was formed to locate him. Initially, we had information that he had fled to Pipili with the help of a friend. He kept moving but was later nabbed,” he added.

The DCP said that the accused worked as a driver and has been booked under Sections 376 (A) (B) of IPC and Section 6 POCSO Act. “He took the child to his home on finding her alone. He had even threatened the mother of the girl,” he said.

The family is being counselled and steps are being taken to expedite the compensation for the survivor. “We will also try to fast track the case,” he added.

Under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which came into force on July 1, rape and gang rape of girls below the age of 12 years will carry minimum imprisonment of twenty years and is extendable to life imprisonment or death. Rape of a girl under 16 years of age will be punishable with maximum life imprisonment.