Three arrested for gang-raping minor girl in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Keonjhar, Apr 20:

Odisha police today arrested three persons including a juvenile for allegedly gang-raping a 12-year-old minor girl in Keonjhar district last night.

According to reports, three accused including a minor boy gang-raped the minor girl late at night yesterday under Ghatagaon police limits in the district.

The arrested forcefully took her to nearby farmland when she was returning home watching pala (religious song for puja) around 1 pm last night and raped her taking turns.

They also attempted to kill the victim crushing her head with stone.

“When the girl was returning home after watching pala, three miscreants took her to a nearby jungle and gang-raped. All the three accused have been arrested after the victim filed a complaint this morning,” said Harish Chandra Pande, DSP, DIB, Keonjhar. 

The victim’s family members filed a complaint at Ghatagaon police station this morning.

Police have arrested all the three accused including the minor boy, who were absconding after committing the crime. The accused will be forwarded to court, informed a police official.

They have been arrested under section 376, 376 (d) 506 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official added.

The accused and victim have been sent to Ghatagaon hospital for medical examinations and a police team is verifying the accused’s age to ascertain whether one of them is juvenile. Raid is being conducted at his home, the official concluded.