Daringbadi: A day after a 15-year-old girl in Brahmanigaon area in Kandhamal district was found pregnant due to a forced relationship, the police arrested one of her relatives Sunday.
The accused was identified as Bhagirathi Mallik, a native of Karadabadi village under Sorada police limits in Ganjam district, Brahmanigaon police SI Sangram Keshari Jena said.
Bhagirathi is the younger brother of the girl’s uncle and is married with a child. He was arrested under POCSO Act and related sections of IPC before being produced in ADJ court in Phulbani, the SI said
He was nabbed after the Brahmanigaon police laid a trap and arrested him from Karadabadi with the help of Daringbadi and Sorada police late Saturday night.
He was brought to Daringbadi police station where he admitted to his crime during interrogation, Brahmanigaon IIC Jaichandra Mallick said.
The girl had been unwell for the last few days following which her family members admitted her to the Mohana Community Health Centre in Gajapati district.
Her family members were crestfallen when they were told by a doctor that the girl was six months pregnant after conducting a medical check-up. Later, the doctor lodged a complaint in the Mohana police station.
The police reached the health centre and recorded the girl’s statements. However, as she is from Brahmanigaon police station area, they asked her family members to report the matter to Brahmanigaon police.
Later, the girl and family members lodged a complaint in Brahmanigaon police station. According to sources, the girl is a Class IX student at a residential school in Jharsuguda.
However, she did not return to the school after coming home in the last summer vacation. She visited her uncle’s house in June when Bhagirathi, the younger brother of her uncle, threatened her of dire consequences and raped her over a period. He even asked her not to disclose the matter reminding her of the threat.
Later, she came back home when her health condition deteriorated and she was found six months pregnant during a check-up at Mohana Health Centre.
A medical test was done on Bhagirathi before producing him in court. A similar test will be done on the girl before producing her before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), police said.
When contacted, Phulbani Child Protection Officer Rashmita Karan said that the police are yet to hand over the girl to her.
Youth held for rape, kidnap of minor girl
Berhampur: Sadar police arrested a youth on the charge of kidnapping and raping a minor girl here Sunday. The accused was identified as Lakshman Pradhan (24) of Dwaragaon under Digapahandi police limits. He will be produced in court Monday, Sadar IIC Siba Shankar Mohapatra said. Police said the survivor studying Plus II in a local college was on her way to the college when Pradhan kidnapped her January 29. Family members grew apprehensive and lodged a complaint with police when she didn’t return home till late night. Police registered a case and launched a search operation. They tracked the mobile phone of the girl and rescued her from a house in Bhubaneswar along with Pradhan February 1. Police recorded the statement of the survivor in ADJ court here and handed her over to her family.
PNN
