BHADRAK: Amid raging anger over the gruesome rape and murder of a Class III student, another disturbing incident of sexual assault of a minor girl surfaced in Dhamara area of Bhadrak district.
Traumatised by the incident, the victim reportedly attempted suicide by consuming poison.
The incident occurred on December 17 when the minor was alone in the kitchen at her home. The accused identified as Gyanaranjan Pati, a neighbour, allegedly entered the kitchen, gagged the girl with her scarf and raped her. Following the assault, the 26-year-old accused allegedly threatened the victim that her sisters would face the same fate if she disclosed the matter to anyone. Scared, the victim initially remained silent.
However, she later wrote down an account of the incident before consuming poison on December 20. However, she was rescued by the family and rushed to Dhamara community health centre for treatment. As her health worsened, she was referred to Bhadrak district headquarters hospital and later shifted to a private nursing home in Cuttack, where she remains in serious condition.
The victim’s widowed mother subsequently approached Dhamara police with the handwritten letter on Thursday and lodged a formal complaint.
Police arrested Pati who belonged to Narsinghpur village under Dhamara panchayat the same day, Dhamara inspector-in-charge Sovan Kumar Sain confirmed.
The incident comes close on heels of the rape and murder of a Class III student in Baligaon under Chandbali police limits on Tuesday afternoon. The victim had gone to school but did not return. Later, her body with injuries on private parts was recovered. Prime accused, a 30-year-old man was arrested but the incident triggered huge outrage and a bandh by the Opposition political parties.