BHADRAK: Mystery shrouds the death of a 10-year-old girl whose blood-soaked body was recovered from a forested area near Baligaon panchayat office under Chandbali police limits here on Tuesday night. The minor’s family alleged that she was raped and murdered.
The victim belongs to Naligaon village. Sources said at around 8 pm, some locals spotted the girl’s body and raised an alarm. Tension flared up as thousands of villagers gathered at the spot. On being informed, police rushed to the scene to take stock of the situation. The body was seized and sent to Chandbali community health centre for postmortem.
Subsequently, irate locals staged road blockade at Baligaon demanding immediate arrest of the culprits responsible for the girl’s death. They alleged that miscreants sexually assaulted the minor and dumped her body in a bushy area under the cover of darkness. The girl’s father said his daughter went missing in the evening.
As vehicular movement came to a standstill due to the blockade, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Trilochan Sethi, the local tehsildar and Chandbali IIC Paresh Mohanty reached the protest site and held discussion with the agitators.
SDPO Sethi said the situation is under control and efforts are underway to pacify the agitators. A platoon of armed police is camping at the spot. “The exact reason behind the girl’s death will be ascertained after the autopsy report arrives. Further investigation is underway,” he added.