Cuttack: Chauliaganj police Wednesday arrested a person for allegedly sexually abusing a minor for 22 days. Two persons were involved in the sexual abuse of the girl. Police are hoping that with the arrest of one accused, the other person can be nabbed too.
Addressing mediapersons Cuttack DCP Prateek Singh said that Chauliaganj police has arrested one accused and the search is on to nab another. The arrested accused has been identified as Santosh Kumar Behera.
“We are also investigating whether more than two persons were involved in the ghastly crime,” stated Singh. The identity of the arrested person has not been disclosed as it may hamper investigations.
Chauliaganj police Wednesday recorded the statement of the girl. They said that the 15-year-old victim was kept confined in a poultry farm in a temple near Gatiroutpatna. She had to face the torture for 22 days. According to police, the minor is a resident of Rankei under Tirtol police limits in Jagatsinghpur district. She had come to her sister’s place at Professorpada here around a month ago following a dispute with her parents.
“Her sister, however, asked her to return home following a marital discord. The girl was waiting for a bus near OMP Square when Santosh Kumar Behera met her. Behera lured her into coming with him on the pretext of helping her reach home. However, he took her to his friend’s poultry farm at Gatiroutpatna. They kept the girl confined to the farm for 22 days and allegedly raped her a number of times,” said a police official.
“Somehow the girl managed to give accused a slip Tuesday and contacted the police. Following her complaint, police arrested one of the two accused,” the official added. He also said that the minor has been handed over to ‘Childline’ officials.
PNN