Koraput: While the investigators are yet to identify the perpetrators of gang rape of a minor in Odisha’s tribal-dominated Koraput district, a top leader of CPI (Maoist) today denied the involvement of its cadres in the heinous crime.

Spokesperson of Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of CPI (Maoist) Jagabandhu in an audio tape released to media denied role of its men.

The member of the outlawed group strongly condemned the incident and called for Koraput bandh on Monday in protest against the atrocity of security personnel on innocent villagers.

Koraput District Congress unit too called for a 7-hour bandh on Monday.

“Government should first make the medical report public. There is complete confusion as sometimes its saying that Naxals have raped the girl and sometimes policemen,” Jeypore Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said.

Reacting to this, the ruling party urged the Opposition to stay away from politicising the sensitive issue.

“The medical team is doing their work. There is no need to politicise it. The objective is to nab the culprits and punish them,” BJD leader Rabinarayan Nanda said.

On the other hand, the health condition of the minor victim deteriorated today as she complained of pain in the abdomen owing which a seven-member doctors’ team has been constituted to look into her treatment.

“A seven-member team of doctors including professors would keep a watch on the girl’s treatment round the clock. She had complained of abdominal pain for which medications have been given,” Superintendent of Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital Sitaram Mohapatra said.

Notably, three days have elapsed since the alleged gang rape of a Class IX girl at Sorispadar forest near Kunduli Haat under Pottangi police limits in the district.