post news network
Bhubaneswar: Police Tuesday questioned a BMC Mall official and an event manager of roof-top rain dance party in which a 19-year-old girl was allegedly molested April 17 evening.
Sahid Nagar police said they questioned mall official Sandeep Singh and rain dance party event manager Rajesh Khanna to ascertain whether they had sought permission for hosting the jamboree.
“They submitted the permission letter of the party which was granted by us. We are investigating the matter. We may instruct BMC officials against conducting such parties in future,” they added.
Police sources said members of ‘Akash Khatti’ were behind the assault on the girl, an Economics honours student in a local college here, and her friends.
“’The Akash Khatti’ members are college students, people attached to political parties, anti-social elements some of whom are involved in snatching cases. The members of the gang who loiter in Unit IV had physically assaulted a few persons of Unit-IX area recently. The members residing under Kharvelnagar police limits have managed to escape the brunt of police,” they added.
The police have arrested two persons on charges of molesting and physically assaulting a girl who had accompanied her friends to the party.
“The girl has told the police she knows main accused Sanjay Mohapatra, a professional dancer. Sanjay and his friends were in an inebriated state during the party,” the police said.
“When Sanjay molested the girl she and her friends offered resistance. Enraged over their reaction, Sanjay called his associates and they thrashed them. The girl was thrashed so badly that her clothes were torn,” said a police officer.
“We have arrested Nihar Ranjan Das and Suraj Sahu, both in their 30s, from Pahala. Sanjay’s friends have sweets shops at Pahala. We have launched a search operation to nab Sanjay,” the police added.
