SAMBALPUR: An alleged kidnapping of a minor last week by Kuchinda police took turn on Monday after the family of the victim, alleged she was gangraped.
The family of the victim claimed that Kuchinda police had initially downplayed the severity of the crime by filing a kidnapping case instead of registering a rape complaint. Demanding a thorough investigation and stern action against the perpetrators, the family along with BJD members submitted a memorandum to the SP.
As per reports, the incident took place on October 15, when the 14-year-old girl was at a village festival and met one of the accused who was known to her. After spending some time at the festival, the accused asked her for a drive and took her to a car which was already occupied by four people. Though the minor hesitated, the occupants of the vehicle convinced her to come along and gave her a spiked soft drink.
The accused then took her to an isolated place and gangraped her. Later, the accused even threatened to kill her and harm her family if revealed the matter to anyone and dropped her at the village on the wee hours of October 16. The girl though in her initial statement denied any form of sexual assault, she went to the police station a few hours later and revealed the accused had raped her.
However, the family claimed police did not agree to turn it into a rape case and even convinced them to not get the victim medically examined. Later, after repeated appeals, the girl’s medical examination was conducted on October 18. In the meantime, police has arrested three accused on charge of kidnapping.
BJD leader, Sanjit Mohanty, who accompanied the minor’s family to the SP’s office on the day said, “It is indeed shameful that a minor has been raped and the incident is being taken so lightly. The girl was threatened to such an extent that she was unable to reveal the truth. Even when she told the truth, the case was downplayed.
Two of the main accused are still on the run and the case is not being investigated as a gangrape. We had a discussion with the SP and demanded a thorough investigation besides appropriate action against all the accused regardless of any influence. We are hoping for a positive outcome.”
ASP, Haresh Chandra Pandey said, “The medical examination report of the minor is awaited and her statement has now also been recorded before the magistrate. She has raised allegations of gangrape against five persons. We will now investigate the case in that direction to ascertain the facts and also make provisions for compensating her. Repeated awareness drives are being conducted to sensitise minors to report such cases at the earliest. We will also counsel the minor to ascertain why she could not reveal the truth in the first place.”