CUTTACK: A nine-year-old girl, rehabilitated in a child care institute (CCI) of the city, was allegedly raped while returning from school on Monday. The minor survivor has been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital.
The incident which came to light on Wednesday has sent shockwaves in the city. No one has been arrested so far in connection with the incident.
Police said the Class IV student had gone to school along with 15 other inmates of the CCI. After the classes, she got separated from the group following a tiff with her brother and was returning to the CCI alone. An unknown youth lured her with chocolates and took her to an abandoned house near Cuttack railway station where he allegedly raped her.
As the girl did not return along with other inmates, the CCI authorities launched a search for her. However, she reached the institute after some time and was rushed to SCB Medical College.
District child protection officer Pragati Mohanty and CWC chairman Pramod Acharya visited the survivor at the hospital and held discussions with police about the incident.
Meanwhile, acting on the FIR filed by the caretaker of the CCI, Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a case and launched an investigation.
DSP of GRP, Cuttack Sushant Sen said, since the girl is extremely traumatized and is undergoing treatment, police will wait before speaking to her.
“Once her condition improves, we will take permission from Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and take her for identification of the abandoned house near the railway station. We hope to get clues about the accused only after it is done,” he said.
The victim and her 11-year-old elder brother were rehabilitated in the CCI located near College Square after their father was sent to jail in 2021 in connection with a case. After being relocated to the CCI, the girl had been suffering from psychiatric issues and was being treated at SCB Mental Health Institute.