KalingaTV News Network
Phulbani: Speaking volumes about the sorry state of women’s safety and security in the state, separate incidents of sexual assault on two minor girls and suicide of one rape survivor have been reported on Tuesday.
In the first instance, the headmaster of a government-run residential school for ST/SC allegedly molested a Class 8 girl of his school in Daringbadi area in Kandhamal district.
The accused has been identified as Aditya Prasad Rath, headmaster of Daringbadi Sevashram School.
As per a complaint filed by the family of the victim minor with Daringbadi Police, the accused headmaster called out at least three girl students of the school including her to his government quarter on April 22 to do some domestic work. However, later he sent two of them back to home and engaged the victim on work.
“Sir engaged me on washing dishes, cleaning clothes and sweeping for hours after two of my friends left. However, he locked up me in a room in the quarter subsequently and raped brutally. I managed to give him a slip later in the day by jumping the boundary wall of the quarter,” said the victim.
Police have started investigation in the case and trying to trace the accused headmaster who is on the run.
Similarly, police arrested a man from Birabhanjapur village in Pattamundai block under Talachua Police Station area in Kendrapara district after he tried to strangulate his sister-in-law, who is also a minor, by her stole after sexual assault. The incident took place near Birabhanjapur prawn gheri this morning.
In the saddest among the incidents, a rape survivor from Nuagaon area in Nayagarh district committed suicide by consuming poison last night.
The deceased identified as a 19-year-old girl had been raped by one Debraj Barik around six months ago, following which she had conceived. While Barik was arrested in connection with the case later and is currently behind the bars, the victim was undergoing severe mental pressure due to the disgrace caused by the incident.
Police have seized the body and sent it for autopsy.
Ms Kalinga