Odisha rape accused marries victim in jail on court orders

Reported by Santosh Jagdev

Bhubaneswar, Jan 28:

An under trial prisoner lodged in Jharpada jail in the Odisha capital for allegedly raping a woman tied the nuptial knot with the victim today following a court order.

Pic: Santosh Jagdev
Pic: Santosh Jagdev

The accused, Dillip Behera (32) alias Dilu, was sent to jail for raping the 22-year-old woman Rajashree Natua in February last year.

On January 22, the Khordha additional session judge Ananda Chandra Behera had heard the joint petition filed by both the families and directed the jail authorities to solemnise the marriage on January 28.

The court had also directed the authorities to produce evidence of marriage on January 30.

“Following court order, additional DG and IG prisons Pradeep Kapoor instructed us to organize the marriage in the jail premises,” said Jharpada jail superintendent Rabindranath Swain.

“After I was convinced that he would take good care of me and I will live a peaceful life, I agreed to the proposal of getting married to him. Besides,marriage would give us social recognition,” Rajashree said after the marriage.

Narrating the incident, the lawyer of the accused Prafulla Kumar Sahoo said my client’s family and the victim’s family entered into a compromise deal and filed the joint petition in the court.  After the jail authorities submitted documentary evidence, the court will deliver its verdict.

“As per law, if the accused and victim decide on a mutual agreement to marry, nobody can take away their fundamental rights,” said advocate Sahoo.

It may be recalled that the rape incident happened on January 23, 2014 near Deras under Chandaka police station limits on the outskirts of the city. On that day, the victim, while waiting for a bus to Giringiputa under Mendhasala gram panchayat here, was offered a lift on his truck by the accused who hails from Kateni village. The accused, a driver by profession, took her to an isolated place and allegedly raped her.

The accused was arrested by Commissionerate police under sections 506 and 376 of IPC following a complaint by the victim’s family at Chandaka police station on February 5, 2014.

Notably, the victim and accused belong to nearby villages.

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