A minor tribal girl of Keonjhar district was allegedly raped inside a bus here late on Monday night. The helper of the bus was later arrested by police.
Some locals spotted the minor girl crying near the Saradhabali area, following which they informed police.
Later, the Kumbharpara police rescued the girl and detained the accused helper basing on her statement.
Sources said the girl works at a water park near Malatipatpur, on the town outskirts. On Monday, she was returning from her home and boarded the bus in Cuttack to return to Puri. She had to get down from the bus at Maltipatpur but she fell asleep and woke up at around 9 pm at Puri bus stand.
The helper then told the girl to sleep inside the bus and later, allegedly raped her.
The Kumbharpara police arrested the accused after interrogation and send the victim and the accused for medical examination.
“We are interrogating the accused. I can’t say anything as of now,” said the Kumbharpara police station Inspector-in-Charge (IIC).
When the incident came to the notice of Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera, he, in his reaction, said that stringent action would be taken against the accused after the full investigation report is available.
BJP State secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar held the State Government responsible for the incident, saying it has denigrated the image of Odisha in the country and outside as it happened during the Rath Yatra in holy Puri town.
She alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has failed to provide security to women in the State.
Samantsinghar said that the Government has deployed 155 platoons of police in Puri for smooth conduct of the Rath Yatra, but the rape incident at the town’s bus-stand, which near the Gundicha Temple where the deities are being worshipped, is highly condemnable.