Govt official, two women among six held on sexual harassment charge at divyang training centre

Bhubaneswar: Another six persons including two women were arrested by the Commissionerate Police for their alleged involvement in sexually harassing a divyang woman. Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash informed Khordha District Social Security Officer (DSSO), Sangram Keshari Das and prime accused Suresh Chandra Behera were among the accused.

Dash added other accused in the case were Rakesh Kumar Sarangi, Lalu alias Umesh Chandra Routray, Basanti Sahoo, Sanju alias Sanjukta Meher.

With the fresh arrests, the number of accused in the case rose to seven. On February 1, the Commissionerate Police arrested Madhu Manjari Dhal, who was working as a sewing instructor at All Odisha Orthopedically Handicapped Welfare Association, the divyang training centre located in Palaspalli in Bhubaneswar where the divyang woman was sexually harassed.

Prime accused in the case, Suresh Chandra was Secretary of the divyang training centre.

The sexual harassment matter came to fore after a woman employee of the training centre lodged a complaint at the Airfield Police Station alleging a sex racket being run at the centre and sexual harassment of its inmates. Also, she alleged several Government officials used to visit the centre and sexually exploit the inmates. A video showing illegal activities at the centre went viral on social media as well.

The State Commission for Persons with Disabilities took a suo motu cognizance of the allegations and launched a probe into the same.

A case no- 40 dtd 7.2.21 u/s 370/120(B) IPC/3/4/5/6/7 of ITP Act / 67/67(A) IT Act/6 of Indecent Representation of Woman Act has been registered at the Airfield Police Station.