Deogarh: Odisha Police has arrested a man for allegedly raping a 5-year-old girl in Deogarh district, an officer said Monday.
According to police, the incident took place on Sunday night in an area where a religious programme was underway.
When the child started screaming, residents rushed to the spot, thrashed the accused and handed him over to police.
Police officers admitted him to a hospital and registered a case.
“We have registered a case against Udit Patra under the BNS and POCSO Act. According to preliminary investigation, the accused raped the girl when she went to witness a yajna,” Deogarh SP Anil Kumar Mishra said.
Police have recorded the statements of the victim and her parents, the SP said, adding, “We have sent a scientific team to the spot to collect evidence.”
Expressing concern over the incident, leader of the opposition in Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, criticised the BJP government for the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state.
While the country is observing its 77th Republic Day, a 5-year-old girl child in Deogarh district has been raped, which is extremely heartbreaking, Patnaik said on X.
Rape like gruesome incidents along with the breakdown of law and order are terrifying and unsettling the public, he said.
“On Republic Day, the government is delivering grand speeches about building a prosperous, developed Odisha. But without ensuring the safety of our little girls and mothers, how is a developed Odisha possible?,” the BJD president questioned.
Stating that the safety of the common people is paramount in a democracy, he warned, “If the government fails to wake up from its deep slumber now, the situation will deteriorate further.”
Patnaik urged the state government to take a firm stance to stop rape like crimes.
He advised the government to generate awareness and take stringent possible actions against the perpetrators.