Accused Ahiraj Naik (24) was identified by police as a history-sheeter op photo
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: A nine-year old girl was left battling for life after she was repeatedly raped and tortured for several hours near her home in Jatni village late Wednesday night.
Police said the girl was asleep at her home when the accused – identified as Ahiraj Naik (24) of the same town – sneaked in, hoisted her on to his shoulder and went out to a nearby abandoned railway quarters building where he proceeded to rape the girl for several hours. He later abandoned the girl in some bushes and fled. The accused, who police said is a known history-sheeter, was later arrested.
The girl, who managed to reach home in a battered condition, was found on the doorstep by her parents in a profusely bleeding condition. The girl’s uncle recounted to this newspaper how the girl – in fits and sobs – narrated her ordeal to her shocked parents who straightaway lodged a complaint with police.
The girl was shifted to Capital Hospital in the city Thursday morning where doctors operated on her. Doctors said the girl’s injuries were so severe that they had to perform a three-hour surgery on her before shifting her to an ICU where she is under observation.
Capital Hospital director BB Patnaik said the girl underwent a complex operation due to the severity of her injuries but declined to elaborate.
Jatni police said Ahiraj was only recently released from jail after being arrested in a theft case.
Naik was again arrested as recently as two days back on fresh charges of robbery but was let go after he submitted an undertaking, Jatni inspector Sujit Kumar Pradhan said. Police said the girl’s undergarments were recovered from the spot of the crime and added they would be sent to a forensic laboratory soon.
The girl’s uncle later told mediapersons of his niece’s plight. “We found her in the wee hours of Thursday knocking at the door. Her mother opened it to find her bleeding severely. She collapsed right there,” the uncle said. Continued on P3
