Rajgangpur, Dec 10: A 45-year-old man was arrested today for attempting to sexually assault a five-year-old girl. The incident happened yesterday evening when the child was on her way home from school.
The accused reportedly tried to lure the girl into a nearby field and assault her. The girl screamed for help, and local people rushed to the spot, causing the accused to run away.
After the girl’s family filed a complaint, the police registered a case, detained the suspect, and later arrested him.
The child was taken to the local Community Health Centre for a medical check-up. Sundargarh Superintendent of Police Amritpal Kaur and other officials visited the hospital to look into the case.
Rising concerns over women’s safety in Odisha
In the past 15 months, Odisha has seen many cases concerning crimes against women, including:
Rape: 3,205 cases
Attempted rape: 202 cases
Sexual harassment: 1,476 cases
Molestation: 9,851 cases
Kidnapping of women: 8,863 cases
These numbers have caused serious concern and public outcry. The state government has declared a "zero tolerance" policy for these crimes and is working on measures to improve safety.
Recent high-profile cases trigger outrage
Several incidents recently caused protests and demands for better security:
-In Balasore, a 20-year-old student died by self-immolation after her sexual harassment complaint against a professor was ignored.
-Gang rape cases near tourist beaches in Puri and Gopalpur in 2025 sparked anger and calls for more police protection.
