Bhubaneswar: Laxmisagar Police arrested a woman and her male accomplice for selling brown sugar near Lotus Hotel Lane, seizing 10 grams of the drug along with cash, mobile phones, and a scooter, officials said Saturday. The arrests followed a written report filed by Sub-Inspector Sambhunath Patra, leading to a case being registered at Laxmisagar police station and...

Bhubaneswar: Emphasising the inseparable link between gender and environment, former Kerala Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Prakriti Srivastava said, “Without gender justice, environmental protection and solutions to climate-related challenges cannot be achieved,” during the inaugural session of 16th Odisha Environment Congress (OEC) at Rama Devi Women’s University (RDWU) in Bhubaneswar Saturday. Women are more adversely affected by...

Kendrapara: The falling water level of Luna River, which flows through Kendrapara district, has raised concerns over the town’s drinking water supply and the future of agricultural land along its basin. Officials said the intake feeder near Kalapada has been dry since November. To ensure an uninterrupted drinking water supply to Kendrapara town, the Public Health Engineering...

Koraput: Tourists visiting the scenic Punjisil Waterfall in Koraput district have expressed strong disappointment over the lack of basic amenities, raising concerns about the condition of tourism infrastructure in the region. Several visitors who had come to enjoy the picturesque waterfall recently were seen leaving the spot dissatisfied. With the peak tourist season underway, a large number...

Baripada: Allegations of harassment involving a postgraduate student and a guest faculty member have surfaced at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University in Baripada, raising questions about administrative inaction despite findings by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). Complaints were filed against two faculty members with the ICC, which reportedly examined the cases and submitted its findings to...

Bolangir: Bolangir Town police busted an interstate ganja trafficking racket with the seizure of 24 kg of the contraband hidden inside specially-built secret chambers in a car during a routine patrol and vehicle check Saturday morning. Police said the operation was carried out near a truck terminal on National Highway 26 along the Bolangir–Borigumma stretch. A Hyundai...

Ambadola: The charred body of a 75-year-old woman was found inside her house at Kumudabali village under Ambadola police limits in Muniguda block of Rayagada district Saturday, with police suspecting a premeditated murder linked to gold theft. The deceased was identified as Chandana Tula Dangari, who lived alone in the house. Villagers became suspicious after noticing a...

Chhatrapur: Miscreants have posed a challenge to Chhatrapur police after looting four temples in a single night in Ganjam district. The targeted temples are located near the newly-constructed police colony, which houses residential quarters for police personnel. The robbers allegedly stole silver valuables, including crowns, cobra figurines and necklaces, from four temples within a span of a...

Malkangiri: Police in Malkangiri district Saturday arrested a man accused of raping a differently-abled minor girl, authorities said. Police produced the accused identified as Deepak Baroi, 45, in the court from where he was remanded to judicial custody after his bail pleas were rejected. The matter came up before police after the girl’s family members lodged a...

Bhubaneswar: A minor girl was allegedly gangraped by two persons in Saheed Nagar area in Bhubaneswar after being lured with the promise of a job offer, police said Saturday. According to the police complaint, one of the accused called the 17-year-old girl to his rented accommodation in Saheed Nagar are promising her a data entry job December...