10-year-old girl killed after being raped in Odisha's Bhadrak, locals block road by burning tyres

Bhadrak: A 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Chandbali town of Odisha’s Bhadrak district on Tuesday evening, triggering widespread anger and protests in the area.

According to reports, the girl, a Class III student from Chandbali, had left her house around 2 pm but did not return. As evening set in, her family searched for the girl but failed to trace her. Later, locals found her body in a naked condition at a deserted spot near the Baligaon panchayat office on the outskirts of the town.

The incident sparked massive outrage, with hundreds of people gathering at the spot. Protesters blocked the Bhadrak-Chandbali main road at Baligaon, burning tyres and staging a demonstration. Due to the road blockade, hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road.

On receiving information, Dhamnagar SDPO Trilochan Sethi reached the site and tried to pacify the protesters. However, the agitators refused to withdraw until the accused was arrested.

Bhadrak SP Manoj Kumar Rout later arrived at the scene and took stock of the situation. He assured that the culprit involved in the crime would be arrested soon. Despite this assurance, tension continued in the Chandbali area.

Meanwhile, the Congress strongly condemned the incident. Bhadrak district Congress committee president Nalini Kanta Mohanty warned that if the accused is not arrested within 48 hours, the party will take to the streets in protest.

Heavy police deployment has been made in Chandbali to prevent any further escalation, as the situation in the area remains tense.

This morning, the agitators also staged road blockades at several places in Chandbali town by burning tyres. Vehicular movement was affected due to the blockade.