BARIPADA: Police on Tuesday arrested a self-styled godman for allegedly raping a physically-challenged woman at Nayabrajanandanpur village in Badasahi of Mayurbhanj district. The accused was identified as 55-year-old Jetharam Murmu, popularly known as Jetha Baba. The victim is a 20-year-old woman from a tribal family. The alleged crime took place on January 20.
Sources said the victim was sitting on the verandah of her house and all her family members were out for some work. At around 2 pm in the afternoon, Jetharam crossed the victim’s house. On finding the woman sitting alone, he tried to strike up a conversation with her. After coming to know that she was alone in the house, the accused reportedly dragged her inside and raped her.
When the victim screamed, her aunt who was taking a bath near the house, rushed inside and found Jetharam committing the crime. The accused managed to escape from the spot. The woman’s family members took up the matter with the village committee following which a panchayat meeting was held on Sunday in presence of the accused. At the meeting, Jetharam confessed to his crime and assured to pay `90,000 to the victim’s family.
Initially, he provided a sum of Rs 4,000 of which Rs 2,000 was distributed among village leaders and `2,000 to the parents of the woman for her treatment. It was decided that the remaining amount will be provided to the victim’s family within a couple of months.
On Tuesday morning, family members took the victim to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital (PRM MCH) for treatment. When the doctors came to know about the incident, they informed Baripada Town police who rushed to the hospital.
The woman’s parents alleged that they had been threatened by some village leaders against taking up the matter with police. They later lodged an FIR with Baripada Town police basing on which a case was registered under sections 376 (2) (I) and 506 of the IPC.
Mayurbhanj SP Rishikesh D Khilari said the accused has been arrested. Investigation is underway and the village leaders who tried to suppress the matter at the panchayat meeting will be nabbed soon. The accused will be produced in court on Wednesday.