JEYPORE: In a shocking incident, a minor girl of Musaguda village under Potangi police limits in Koraput district was allegedly raped by four uniformed personnel near Sarispadar jungle on Tuesday sparking widespread resentment against the security forces in the area.
According to reports, the girl, a Class IX student of Government Welfare School at Sarispadar, had gone to Kunduli village in connection with Aadhaar card in the morning.While returning home through Malimarla ghat road alone, four unidentified jawans dragged her to nearby jungle and raped her.
The girl, who sustained serious injuries, managed to reach home and informed her mother. The villagers first took her to Kunduli PHC but later, she was rushed to Koraput medical college as her condition deteriorated. Her uncle GR Chati filed a complaint with police who have started investigation.
Incidentally, the area comes under Maoist zone and personnel of State police, Cobra and BSF are engaged in various operations.
Though the culprits have not been identified, the victim stated that they were in uniform with faces covered with masks. Since all the personnel of both State and Central forces engaged in anti-Maoist operation have the same dress code, local police find it tough to identify the culprits.
Koraput DIG S Sayni said the crime spot is located in dense forest where there was no police presence. "We have recorded the victim's statement and it will take some time to ascertain the facts," said the DIG. Meanwhile, upset by the incident, irate villagers blocked Koraput-Visakhaptnam NH near Kunduli demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. The movement of vehicular traffic was disrupted for several hours. Koraput MLA Krushana Sagaria and Municipality Chairman Bhagaban Bahinipati also staged a dharna in front of SP office. However, BSF DIG JC Nayak claimed that there was no force deployment in the area of the incident. The BSF personnel are deployed 35 km from the spot and it has no connection with the case, he asserted.
CM shocked
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep shock over the rape of minor girl in Koraput district. Denouncing the incident as most inhuman, the Chief Minister announced free medical treatment of the victim. If necessary, the victim will be sent to outside the State at Government cost for treatment. The Chief Minister's office said Director General of Police has been instructed to arrest the culprits and initiate stern action against them.