BALASORE: One of the four accused, allegedly involved in the gangrape of a Khaira-based girl, surrendered before a local court here on Wednesday.
Pradip Jena alias Julu surrendered before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Soro, who remanded him in judicial custody. Sources said the court had issued non-bailable warrants against the prime accused, Laxmidhar Nayak alias Lucky and his associate Julu, along with Ramesh Sahoo and Kalia Jena.
The girl from Khaira was allegedly gangraped on September 25, 2011 while she was going to a temple. The accused had threatened to kill her if she revealed the incident.
The victim, however, was forced to report it at the police station on November 3 after the accused, who had clicked objectionable pictures of her while being raped, circulated them through MMS and uploaded those on the Net.
She also moved the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC), alleging police inaction and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. The OHRC had in turn sought an action taken report from the Balasore SP.
The police, which swung into action after OHRC intervention, had declared cash rewards for providing information on the culprits, released their photographs in media and sought the help of Crime Branch for their arrest.
Later following a court order, they had also served notices for attaching properties of the four persons.
Khaira OIC Bijay Kumar Sahu said the police would seek remand of Julu. “Once the elections are over we will take him in remand and interrogate,” he said adding that now the properties of others would be attached barring his.