Rajnagar: Four young women from Rajnagar block in Kendrapara district have been held captive in Bihar, where they are being physically assaulted and tortured, sources said.
They were promised jobs at a biscuit company in Bhubaneswar, but were taken to Bihar, where they have been forced into dancing in an orchestra troupe and are living in confinement, the sources added.
According to the complaint by Sharat Chandra Das from Sanabadgopalpur panchayat in this block, his 19-year-old daughter and niece were taken to Bhubaneswar by a person identified as Sankar Bhanja, a resident of Kanpur village under Nischintakoili police limits in Jajpur district under the pretext of providing employment at a biscuit company.
They were initially employed at the biscuit factory for three days but were later taken to Bihar with the false promise of working at a new factory. After reaching Bihar, the girls were forced to work for an orchestra troupe by another person identified as Sanjay Bhawan. Despite repeated refusal, the victims were coerced into continuing in the orchestra.
One of the victims, Binapani, managed to escape January 12 night, and reached Bhubaneswar. Upon arrival, her family took her home and then reported the incident to Rajnagar police. After the intervention of Rajnagar PS IIC Ajay Kumar Jena, a case was registered Friday. A probe is on to bring back the remaining three women from Salepur area, who are still held captive.
PNN