Brahmapur: A 57-year-old high school teacher was arrested in Odisha’s Ganjam district Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing his daughter for years, even after her marriage, police said.
The 22-year-old woman set herself on fire at her in-laws’ house Thursday and suffered 75 per cent burn injuries, they said.
She was later shifted to a hospital in Bhubaneswar after her condition became critical.
“The incident of her father’s sexual assault came to light when the victim disclosed his name along with two others during recording of her statement at MKCG Medical College and Hospital. The father was arrested based on prima facie evidence against him,” Additional Superintendent of Police (Berhampur) Alok Jena said.
The woman alleged that her father had been sexually abusing her before her marriage and continued to assault her even after she got married, he said.
Asked about the immediate provocation behind the victim’s alleged attempt to end her life, Jena said the accused had borrowed Rs 10 lakh from the victim’s father-in-law but failed to repay the amount.
“The father-in-law asked the victim to ask her father to return the money. When she did so, the accused allegedly blackmailed her and threatened to make her intimate pictures public, following which she took the extreme step,” he said.
“Two mobile phones, one of the father and that of the victim, were seized for investigation. The scientific team has visited the crime spot and collected some physical and material evidence,” he added, noting that a case has been registered at the Nimakhandi police station.
PTI