ROURKELA: A teen rape survivor lodged in a child care institution (CCI) in Lefripada block of Sundargarh district is battling for life at a private hospital in Burla after reportedly trying to end her life by overdosing on sleeping pills.
The incident took place on Thursday when the house mother of the CCI went to fetch water for her on Thursday evening. The girl consumed around 20-25 sleeping pills at a time.
District child protection officer (DCPO) of Sundargarh Sribanta Jena said the girl was undergoing treatment for bipolar disorder and seizure. Her medicines included sleeping pills. She was rushed to Sundargarh district headquarters hospital and later shifted to VIMSAR, Burla. But as no ICU bed was available, she was admitted to a private hospital. Her condition continues to be critical.
A native of Birmitrapur in Sundargarh, the 18-year-old survivor’s is a heart-rending story of sexual assault and desertion. Sexually assaulted by multiple men including her stepfather six years ago, she currently suffers from bipolar disorder and is reportedly unwilling to stay in CCI, the reason for which she tried to end her life, said the officer.
Jena informed that the teenager wants to be released from the CCI but since her case is still active, she could not be allowed to go, especially when she has no trusted relative to take her custody.
Over the past few years, her mother has visited the CCI on a few occasions, but was not willing to take her custody. The woman is allegedly not responding to phone calls and her whereabouts are also unknown, the CCI officials said.
The Sundargarh district administration, Jena said, had offered to provide the survivor’s mother a house at Birmitrapur town along with a job in the municipality for sustenance. However, she did not turn up to receive the benefits.
According to case records, the teenager was raped by multiple men including the then IIC of Birmitrapur police station AC Majhi in 2020 when she was 13 years of age. Majhi was later dismissed from service. During investigation, the Crime Branch (CB) of Odisha Police also arrested three other accused including a government doctor for illegally terminating her pregnancy.
Recently, the teenager’s 43-year-old stepfather and boyfriend (25) were arrested by the CB with help of Birmitrapur police on February 7 and April 3 respectively.
Over a period of several months in 2020, the girl was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend, stepfather and another person before the dismissed IIC repeatedly raped her at Birmitrapur police station. A police driver had helped the IIC in the crime.
The incident came to light after a government doctor illegally terminated the teenager’s pregnancy on June 15, 2020 at Birmitrapur community health centre (CHC).