KENDRAPARA: A 45-year-old man consumed poison on Wednesday evening alleging police inaction in the case of his minor daughter’s kidnapping which took place more than a month back.
The victim, Kalpataru Ojha of Tantiapala area, is battling for life in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack while his 16-year-old daughter has still not been traced.
Ojha’s wife alleged that a 24-year-old youth of Chakada Gogua village within Tantiapala Marine police limits kidnapped her daughter on May 27. Though her husband approached police several times requesting to trace their daughter, the cops reportedly did not take any action in the case. “Unable to bear the shock of our daughter’s kidnapping coupled with the slipshod attitude of the police, my husband consumed poison,” she claimed.
Ojha was first admitted to the community health centre at Rajnagar. He was later shifted to SCB MCH after his condition deteriorated, she added.
IIC of Tantiapala Marine police station Kishor Chandra Tarai said Ojha had lodged an FIR on May 28 alleging that his minor daughter was kidnapped by one Rajendra Jena. The girl is a Class X student of the local school. Acting on the complaint, police filed a case under relevant sections of BNS and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“We have formed a team to arrest the accused and rescue the minor girl. We are also interrogating the accused youth’s family members and friends to know about his hideouts. A police team also visited Hyderabad and other places in connection with the case. On Thursday, we came to know that the girl’s father consumed poison. An investigation has been launched into the incident,” Tarai added.