A minor girl of Baliguali village under Sadar police limits was allegedly raped by a youth of the same village on Monday night.
Locals blocked the Puri-Konark marine drive for several hours and gheraoed the Sadar police station demanding arrest of the accused on Tuesday. Police said a complaint was filed by father of the victim that his seven-year-old daughter had gone to watch opera along with his neighbouring family when the incident occurred. When the girl had gone outside the opera shed to urinate, a youth dragged her to a nearby forest and raped her.
When she did not return, the accompanying family members searched for her and found her lying unconscious in the forest. She was rushed to the district headquarters hospital where the doctors confirmed that she was raped. After gaining sense, she narrated the incident to her family but could not identify the accused. Police have registered a rape case and detained a youth of the village for questioning.