Cuttack: A Dalit woman sat on a dharna at a police station here for several hours after the police allegedly turned a peacemaker between her and a youth who attempted to rape her.
The shocking incident occurred at Balisahi under Jagatpur industrial estate. The woman staged a demonstration at Jagatpur police station for several hours and had to return home disheartened after the police allegedly pressured her to make compromise with the accused.
According to sources, the complainant, who runs a lassi shop, lives in Munda Basti along with her husband and a two-year-old son. A youth who stays at a rented accommodation in the slum came to her shop Sunday morning and asked for a glass of lassi on credit. When the woman refused, the youth got furious and left the place.
A few hours later when the woman went home, the accused followed her and trespassed into her room. The accused allegedly stripped her naked and tried to force himself on her. When the woman tried to run out of her house, the accused attacked her with a piece of asbestos. Hearing her screams, locals came to her rescue and tried to stop the accused. Meanwhile, the son of the landlord of the accused reached the scene and asked the locals not to interfere in the matter. He also allegedly threatened the locals with dire consequences if they informed the matter to the police.
Left with no option, the victim rushed to the police station along with her son and lodged a complaint with the help of a social activist.
The police however, did not register a case and tried to convince the victim. The police sent her back home and did not take any action against the accused, the woman alleged.
When contacted, Jagatpur inspector-in-charge Anil Kumar Beura said a probe into the case was underway. “We have summoned the accused and interrogated him. We will take action accordingly after investigation. We did not put pressure on the woman for a compromise,” Beura said.
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