PURI: Even as Puri is embroiled in a massive controversy over “Brahma Parivartan” delay, the pilgrim town woke up to the news of a speech impaired destitute woman being gangraped in an under-construction shop near Jagannath Temple during wee hours of Wednesday.
The victim was found to be three-month pregnant. The woman, in her late 20s, was spotted by a local trader who was opening his shop in Dola Mandap Sahi, a few hundred metres from the main gate of the temple.
When local police were intimated, they reached the spot and arrested one accused and rescued the woman. The victim was apparently sleeping when three persons are believed to have dragged her to the shop and forced themselves on her.
Puri SP Ashish Singh said, since the victim could not provide any details, the Simhadwar Police registered a case suo motu basing on the report of the local shop-keeper and arrested a 26-year-old daily wager Mahavir Rana from the spot.
The girl was sent for medical examination and the medical report said the girl was pregnant and confirmed rape.
Rana, police said, is a native of Chandanpur village while the woman was from Balasore district. She has been sent to a shelter home in the city.
There are about 500 destitute women who live around the Lion’s Gate of the temple and seek alms for a living.