BERHAMPUR: Gosaninuagaon police in Berhampur on Tuesday arrested three youths, including a minor for allegedly gang-raping a 17-year-old girl of Andhra Pradesh who had fled her home to escape her stepfather’s sexual abuse.
The accused are Arjun Nayak (22) and Aditya Nayak (19), both residents of Dipa Sahi in Lanjipalli area, besides a 15-year-old boy.
Briefing mediapersons here, Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said the crime took place on the night of March 29. The survivor was allegedly drugged before being sexually assaulted.
Vivek said the girl lived with her mother and stepfather in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. She allegedly ran away from her home to escape physical and sexual harassment by her stepfather. She boarded Prashanti Express on March 24 and alighted at Berhampur railway station. The minor was wandering aimlessly inside the railway station when the owner of a tea shop on platform no. 4 spotted her and engaged her at his stall out of pity. Subsequently, she befriended the minor accused who was already working at the tea shop.
On Sunday, the boy allegedly invited her to his home where she met the two other accused. Police said initial investigations revealed that the trio took the girl to a secluded area on some pretext and gave her a drink spiked with a sedative. After the girl lost her consciousness, the three accused allegedly raped her.
On Monday morning, locals found the girl in a distressed condition and raised an alarm. On being informed, Gosaninuagaon police rushed to the spot, rescued the survivor and recorded her statement. A case was registered under relevant sections of BNS and provisions of the POCSO Act. DSP Smruti Prava Pradhan took up the investigation and subsequently, the three accused were arrested.
Arjun and Aditya were forwarded to court while the minor accused was produced before the juvenile justice board and sent to a correctional home. Police conducted medical examination of the survivor and produced her before the Child Welfare Committee. She was later sent to a shelter home.
The SP said a separate case has been registered against the survivor’s stepfather who allegedly harassed the girl sexually, forcing her to run away from home.