BHUBANESWAR: Police on Sunday detained six persons, including the security guard of Khurda district headquarters hospital (DHH), in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl on November 18.
The minor survivor was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped by her male friend and his four associates in Khurda, about 43 km away from the state capital, on Tuesday. Her parents had lodged her missing complaint in Baghamari police station a day later.
Police said the survivor’s male friend, who is accused of orchestrating the entire crime, is among the six detained and is being interrogated. The two had reportedly come in contact through social media.
Apart from the her male friend, police are questioning a person working as a security guard at Khurda DHH as she had contacted him over the phone on the day of the alleged incident. The survivor and the DHH security guard are known to each other. He is being interrogated to ascertain if he was in any way involved in the crime, said sources.
Khurda SP Vivekanand Sharma said multiple teams have been formed to examine the CCTV footage, call records of the suspects, to record the survivor’s statement and carry out other investigation related to the case. Two women DSP officers have been entrusted with the investigation of the case and further action will be taken accordingly, he added. Initial investigation revealed the minor girl is a native of Baghamari and is a Plus II first year student.
In her complaint, the survivor alleged that one of her male friends and his four associates kidnapped her in a car near Khurda New Bus Stand on November 18, rendered her unconscious using a chemical-laced handkerchief and gang-raped her. They reportedly left her at Khurda DHH two days later and fled. Her health condition deteriorated and she was referred to Capital Hospital here on Friday.
Sources said police are examining the CCTV footage to collect more details of the case. “In one of the CCTV footage, the girl can be seen strolling near the new bus stand. However, the police are yet to trace the car in which she was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped,” they added.
