Despicable! ‘Men in uniform’ gang rape minor girl in Odisha

Koraput/Bhubaneswar: In a shocking incident, a minor girl was allegedly gang raped by four armed jawans of the Central paramilitary forces involved in anti-Maoist operations in Odisha’s Koraput district today.

The victim, a Class IX student, who was returning home from school near Kunduli market was allegedly waylaid and gang raped by four armed men in BSF fatigue near Sorishpadar village under Pottangi police station limits today.

“From school, my sister had visited a studio at Kunduli market to get a passport size photograph and was returning home. While on her way back home she was accosted by four armed BSF men on a deserted patch near Sorispadar. The BSF men after gagging her took her to the nearby forest and raped her one after another. After raping her, BSF jawans had abandoned her. She was profusely bleeding with her dress torn. A woman relative of ours who was passing through that area rescued her,” said the brother of the victim.

The victim was initially rushed to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Kunduli and was later shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital here.

The condition of the victim which was earlier stated to be critical is now stable.

“Condition of the patient is stable now. We are doing all that is required to be done in such conditions,” informed Dr. Anulagna Das, Medical Officer, Koraput District Headquarters Hospital.

Family members of the victim have lodged a complaint at the Pottangi police station in this regard and police is investigating the matter.

In protest against the gruesome incident, locals have blocked NH 26 connecting Jeypore with Vizag with several vehicles stranded in both directions.

Local Congress MLA, Krushna Chandra Sagaria has demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

“We will take to the streets if the culprits are not awarded severest of the punishment after being arrested. We also seek assurance that such heinous incidents are not repeated in the future,” said Sagaria.

Both CRPF and BSF senior officials have refuted allegations of involvement of their men in the brutal crime.

“Our camp is located far away from the crime site. It is around 40 km. Our men do not move single, they move in teams wherein a large number of men are involved. We practice buddy system. So there can be no such chance of our men being involved in the crime,” said Ram Charitra, DIG (Operations) of CRPF.

On the other hand, police have formed a special team to investigate the matter.

“The victim and her relatives have alleged that the men who committed the crime were wearing ‘kabra’ (jungle fatigue in local parlance). It’s not COBRA as was interpreted earlier. The allegation is being investigated. This being a sensitive case, a special team has been formed,” said Koraput ASP VR Rao.

Meanwhile, DGP R P Sharma has said that police is investigating the matter and identity of the culprits will be known after the investigation is over.

“Police has registered a case at Pottangi police station. We will do a proper investigation and unravel facts. The identity of those involved will be established after investigation,” informed DGP R P Sharma.