Bhubaneshwar:
The Odisha police on Wednesday tendered an apology to a rape survivor who was allegedly sexually assaulted by some police personnel, including an inspector-in-charge of a police station, in Sundargarh district.
The inspector-in-charge (IIC) was arrested while he was hiding in a forested area in neighbouring Angul district, DGP Abhay told reporters. “Well done Crime Branch team,” the DGP said. Earlier in the day, the DGP had dismissed the IIC of the Birmitrapur Police Station from service after the Crime Branch found prima facie evidence in the allegations made by the 13-year-old girl.
The DGP had asked the Crime Branch to probe the incident on Tuesday. The inspector was placed under suspension on June 26 for his alleged involvement in the rape and abortion of the minor girl, police said.
“His conduct was shameful. Our apologies to the young girl,” the DGP tweeted. The inspector and some policemen are accused of raping the girl over a period of three months, while a government doctor is accused of terminating her pregnancy at Birmitrapur Community Health Centre on June 15, police said.
According to a complaint lodged by the district child protection officer of Sundargarh district, the girl had gone to visit a fair at Biramitrapur on March 25, but the event was cancelled due to lockdown. A police team on patrol duty found the girl roaming near a bus stand after she failed to return home from Biramitrapur. When she was brought to the police station, the inspector allegedly raped her and released her the next morning, the complaint said.
After that she was often called to the police station and allegedly repeatedly raped by some policemen, including the inspector. The girl became pregnant after which her foetus was aborted, the complaint said.
Six persons, including the inspector, doctor and the girl’s stepfather, had been named as accused in the FIR. “I have asked the investigating team of the Crime Branch to take action against all those involved in this heinous crime. Stringent action will be taken,” the DGP said.
Kavita Jalan, the deputy inspector general of police (Western Range), is supervising the case.
