ANGUL: Angul police on Tuesday arrested a man from Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district in connection with the trafficking and sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl from Kishorenagar area in 2024.
The accused is Sumit Choubey (31) of Khandera village in Sagar district. Last week, police had arrested three other accused in the case - Sadananda Pradhan (45) and Tiruna Sahu (42) of Rairakhol in Sambalpur district and Deepali Sahu (33) of Reamal in Deogarh. Another accused, Tiruna’s husband Basanta Sahu, is absconding.
Police said all the accused lured the minor with the promise of a tailoring job at Rairakhol in September 2024. The girl accompanied them but did not return home, prompting her mother to lodge a missing complaint at Kishorenagar police station. Following intelligence inputs, a police team led by Angul police traced the girl to Sagar district and rescued her from Sumit’s house.
As per the directions of the local Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the girl was initially kept at a shelter home before being restored to her family in Angul in March 2025. During investigation, the girl alleged that she had been sold to Choubey for Rs 2 lakh. She also stated that she was married to him after being trafficked, police said.
Angul SP Rahul Jain said the four arrested persons have been produced in court. Efforts are underway to apprehend the absconding accused.