The Mahakalpada police on Monday arrested the prime accused of the gang-rape and attempt on life of a minor Dalit girl at Kharanashi village on Sunday. The arrested person was identified as Pradip Kumar Das, son of Surat Das of the same village.
Das was rounded up from Paradip while he was trying to flee from the area, informed SP Sarthak Sarangi. A haunt is on to nab Das’s associate, who is absconding after the incident. The police also registered a case under Sections 363,376(d), 307, 326 of the IPC and 3 SC/ST (PA) Act as per the complaint of the victim’s family.
Meanwhile, father of the victim girl has urged the State Government and the law enforcing department to award death punishment to the duo accused. Notably, on Sunday, Pradip Das came to the house Ekadashi Das, while he was alone in his house. Ekadashi allegedly summoned up the minor girl by sending another girl to her house. When she came, Ekadashi and Pradip allegedly raped her forcibly and later, poured kerosene on her body and set her ablaze in order to destroy evidence.
On Monday, the Mahakalapada BDO and tehsildar visited the victim girl’s parents and provided them Rs 20,000 from the Chief Minister Relief Fund. They also assured that the Government would bear the treatment cost of the victim.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced that all the medical expenses of the victim girl would be borne from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.The girl now is undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack with 65 per cent burn injuries.