PURI: The accused involved in the rape of a five-year-old girl at Sidha Bakula lane in Puri town has been arrested, police said on Thursday.
Briefing mediapersons, Puri SP K Vishal Singh said the 35-year-old accused, Mahesh Mohanty, was nabbed on Wednesday. Mahesh was apprehended at the Puri-Bhubaneswar border when he was on his way to his native village Marichipur in Jagatsinghpur district.
The SP said Mahesh, a driver by profession, was living in his sister’s house in PWD Colony. On January 23, he had gone to Sidha Bakula lane to oversee the construction work of his new house. At around 11.30 am, the accused found the girl playing alone and lured her to the rooftop of her house where he allegedly raped her.
After committing the crime, Mahesh fled. On being informed, Baliapanda police reached the spot and took the girl to the district headquarters hospital. She was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. The girl has been discharged from the hospital.
Based on the complaint of the victim’s family, police registered a case under sections 376 of the IPC and 6 of POCSO Act. Four police teams were formed to nab the culprit.
Singh said the accused will be produced in the SDJM court where the prosecution will pray to take him on remand for further investigation.
“Efforts are on to file the chargesheet of the case in court within 20 days. The prosecution will furnish all relevant documents in the court for early completion of the trial,” the SP added.