Minor girl raped while returning from school in Odisha's Cuttack
CUTTACK: In a shocking incident, a minor girl was allegedly raped while returning from her school to a Child Care Institute (CCI) where she was rehabilitated by the administration in the city, police said on Wednesday. The nine-year-old girl, a Class-IV student, has been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Acting on the FIR of the caretaker of the CCI, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.
The victim and her 11-year-old elder brother were rehabilitated in the CCI located in College Square locality after their father was sent to jail custody in 2021 in connection with a case. Their mother is no more.
Police sources said the minor girl had gone to a nearby school along with 15 other inmates of the CCI on Monday. However, after closure of the school, following a quarrel with her brother, she had separated from the group and was returning to the CCI alone. An unknown youth lured her with chocolate and took her to an abandoned house near Cuttack Railway Station where she was allegedly raped.
As the victim delayed in reaching the CCI, its authorities started searching for her. While the search was on, she reached the CCI in a critical condition, following which the CCI authorities had rushed her to SCB Medical College and Hospital and informed the police.
District Child Protection Officer Pragati Mohanty and Child Welfare Committee chairman Pramod Acharya, who have already visited the girl at the hospital, have discussed with the police about the incident.
Regarding the progress of the investigation, DSP of GRP, Cuttack Sushant Sen said that since the girl has been extremely traumatized and is undergoing treatment, we won't be able to speak to her properly. “Once her condition improves, we will take permission from the CWC and take her for identification of the abandoned house. After that, we are hopeful of getting some clue about the rape accused,” added Sen.