The gang rape of a Class IX girl triggered tension in Koraput district of Odisha on Tuesday as the victim alleged that four persons who committed the crime were dressed as jawans of Central paramilitary forces.
The incident occurred at a deserted spot inside the jungle near Sorisapadar under the Pottangi police station limits. The seriously injured victim has been admitted to the Koraput district headquarters hospital.
Highway blocked
Demanding the arrest of culprits, an angry mob blocked the National Highway 26 connecting Koraput and Visakhapatnam at Kunduli by burning tyres.
Protesting against the incident, Congress activists led by Koraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria staged a demonstration in front of the Koraput police headquarters.
The personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are deployed in Koraput district for anti-Maoist operations.
According to the victim and her family members, the four persons involved in the rape were wearing camouflage fatigues worn by the personnel of paramilitary forces. The assailants were also armed.
Koraput SP Kunwar Vishal Singh told The Hindu that as the grave allegation had come up against security personnel, the issue had been taken up seriously.
SIT formed
“A special investigating team [SIT] comprising additional superintendent of police V.R. Rao, deputy superintendent of police N. Nayak and woman inspector M. Panigrahy has been formed to probe the case,” the SPsaid.
A case has been registered at the Pottangi police station. “The culprits will not be spared,” said Deputy Inspector General of South-West range, S. Shyani.
Involvement denied
Meanwhile, authorities of the BSF and the CRPF have denied involvement of their jawans in this gang rape.
According to the victim’s broher, his sister had gone to the Kunduli market from her school to get her passport size photographs. While she was returning from Kunduli around noon, she was stopped on the way by the culprits dressed and armed as security personnel.
Taken inside jungle
These persons gagged her by dupatta and abducted her to a deserted spot inside the jungle near Sorisapadar. There they raped her one after another. The culprits in uniform left behind the seriously injured victim and escaped.
She was later found by a woman relative and taken to the nearby Primary Health Centre.
