Bhubaneswar, Oct 19: Commissionerate Police arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in the gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl from Jharkhand, who was discovered on a roadside in Ashok Nagar area of Bhubaneswar, critically injured and writhing in pain.
The accused have been identified as Manju Sethi, the suspected mastermind, Sanjeev Das, also known as Bapi, the owner of the house where the crime is believed to have taken place, Mamata Sahu, a mediator, and Abinash Muduli, another intermediary involved in the trafficking.
During a press briefing, Police Commissioner Suresh Devdutt Singh confirmed the arrests, stating that the four primary accused in the case had been apprehended under the POCSO Act. He mentioned that the investigation was ongoing and that the police were in contact with authorities in Jharkhand to locate the victim’s family.
Police sources revealed that Manju Sethi, the prime accused, had allegedly trafficked the girl to the city under the pretense of offering her a job. She was subsequently handed over to middlemen Mamata Sahu and Abinash Muduli, who arranged for her to be confined in a rented house owned by Sanjeev Das, also known as Bapi, in the Laxmi Sagar area.
It is worth noting that the harrowing incident unfolded late Friday night when the 17-year-old girl from Jharkhand was discovered on a roadside critically injured and writhing in pain. It was alleged that she was raped and brutally assaulted before being abandoned.
The teenager's plight was first noticed by local auto-rickshaw drivers, who found her groaning in agony and immediately alerted the Capital police and helped transport her to Capital Hospital for urgent medical attention. Initial bystanders had reportedly mistaken the girl for being mentally challenged.
Doctors at Capital Hospital confirmed that the girl had been sexually assaulted and admitted her to the ICU in a critical, traumatic condition.
Hospital authorities immediately informed the Capital Police, who registered a case, including charges under the POCSO Act.
