Odisha: Rehab centre founder arrested for raping mentally challenged

Bhubaneswar: Twin City Commissionerate Police today arrested founder of Vikash Institute, a rehabilitation centre for physically challenged persons on charges of raping a mentally challenged woman inmate.

Jayant Kumar Panda, who runs a rehabilitation centre at Sameigadia here was arrested by the police and forwarded to court on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim’s brother at the Mancheswar police station yesterday.

Police had detained Panda yesterday following the complaint and had launched an investigation into the matter.

“We came to know about this institution from newspaper advertisement. I got my sister admitted here in 2014. My sister fled from the institution on June 23 after being repeatedly raped by Panda,” the victim’s brother told reporters.

“We have arrested prime accused Jayant Panda. He was forwarded to court after his medical examination. Other inmates of the centre will be medically examined. If it is found that they too have been sexually exploited, appropriate action will be taken,” informed Bhubaneswar DCP Anup Kumar Sahu.

According to reports, the victim who is mentally challenged and hails from Jagatsinghpur district, was admitted to the institute by her brother in 2014 after he came across a newspaper advertisement.

The victim used to roll incense sticks, candles etc. along with other inmates of the rehabilitation centre.

However, since last one year Panda used to forcibly establish physical relationship with her.

Unable to bear exploitation, the victim managed to escape from the centre on the night of June 23 and after reaching home narrated her ordeal to her family.