Sambalpur: A 33-year-old private tutor, who had reportedly eloped with his two minor girl students, was nabbed from Ainthapali area in Sambalpur district Wednesday.
Acting on reliable source, Ainthapali police arrested the tutor Gopal Krushna Badatya of Khurda. The team also rescued the two minor girls who originally hailed from Badagada area in Bhubaneswar.
Briefing media persons, Sambalpur Superintendent of Police B Gangadhar said, “The two minor girls were rescued from a location under Ainthapali police limits and were later shifted to a local Sakhi centre. The private tutor Badatya has been detained. On being informed, a police team from Bhubaneswar is travelling to Sambalpur. The accused will be handed over to the team,”
Badatya allegedly eloped with the minors Sunday when parents of the girls were not at home. The parents had earlier suspected the tutor’s conduct as they found the accused was spending more time with the girls on the pretext of teaching them.
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He had allegedly threatened their parents of dire consequences when they opposed his unusual behaviour and also asked him not to come to home for tuition around 10 days ago.
It is pertinent to mention, a hand note was recovered from a room of their house where the girls used to take tuitions. The minor students had written that they would return back home after eight days.
Commissionerate Police had initiated a probe into the incident based on an FIR lodged by the victims’ father at Badagada police station.
“Police had launched a manhunt by registering a case (No-435/2021) in this regard. The accused has been residing in Badagada locality for the last couple of years. Badatya has been giving tuition to several students in the locality. We are trying to ascertain the reason,” Badagada PS IIC Biswaranjan Nayak said.
Speaking on allegation of elopement the IIC had added that, “It would be premature to claim something at this stage of investigation.”
The two students are studying in classes 8 and 10 respectively.
PNN