A Plus III second-year tribal girl student of Kendrapada Autonomous College was allegedly attacked brutally with a chopper by a 40- year-old married man on Friday near Badamangala Chowk, while the girl was going to college on her cycle with another friend on Ichhapur-Keshpurbazar road under Town police limits. The girl sustained critical multiple injuries, said Kendrapada SDPO Nrushingha Charan Swain.
The victim girl was identified as Mohini Murmu, a resident of Adibasisahi in Chakroda village near Ichhapur. She was rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital for treatment and later she was shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital. Sanatan Bhoi alias Abhaya, a resident of Fakirapada under Kandarpur area of Cuttack district, was arrested near Gandakhia bridge while he was trying to flee from the locality.
As per the preliminary investigation, Bhoi, who was married 13 years ago, was residing near Adibashisahi by constructing a hut and was eking out his living as a tractor driver. He was allegedly in love with Murmu for last three years but it was a one-side affair. He had proposed Murmu to marry him, but the latter had denied. Being angry on this, Bhoi attacked Murmu finding her alone allegedly with a view to kill her. later he threw the chopper in a nearby pond and fled from the spot.
Condemning the brutal attack, the students of Kendrapada Autonomous= College staged a road blockade at Cuttack-Chandabali road near Tinimuhani Chowk.
later, police rushed to the spot and informed the agitators that District Collector Niranjan Nayak had provided Rs 10,000 from the Red Cross fund for the treatment of Murmu. Besides, they were told that the victim would be provided all her medical expenses from the Odisha State Treatment Fund. The agitation was called off.