October 7th 2024.
Rourkela: It is disheartening to see that crimes against women, particularly rape, continue to plague the Steel City. Another disturbing incident came to light on Sunday when a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) case was filed at Raghunathpalli police station after a complaint was filed by the family of a minor girl.
According to the complaint, the victim was repeatedly raped by her paternal uncle, identified as Rajan Srivastav, who works for a finance firm. He has now absconded and the police have formed three teams to track him down. SDPO (Sub-Divisional Police Officer) of Zone 3, Upasana Padhi, shared, "We have registered a case under the POCSO Act at Raghunathpalli police station." She also mentioned that the accused was a frequent visitor to the victim's house and was well-acquainted with the entire family. The victim's family is in a state of shock over the whole ordeal. A relative of the victim expressed, "He used to visit our house regularly and was like a family member to us."
Sources revealed that the accused had been sexually assaulting and raping the girl for the past two years. However, it was only recently that she gathered the courage to confide in her family and file a complaint. This is the fifth case of rape and sexual assault reported in the city in the last 15 days. In a separate incident, two girls were abducted by three boys in an auto-rickshaw on September 21 and taken to a secluded spot near Birsa Munda Stadium. The boys allegedly gang-raped one of the girls and sexually assaulted the other.
Thankfully, the perpetrators were apprehended by the Plant Site police station the very next day. Two days later, a school teacher was arrested under the POCSO Act for inappropriately touching a Class IX student. The school authorities took swift action and terminated the teacher's employment after parents of students staged a protest in front of the school. Adding to the distressing events, a young girl was gang-raped by five boys after being lured away from a popular restaurant on September 25. Shockingly, four of the accused were known to the victim. The restaurant was subsequently sealed by the police.
In another case, a lecturer from Government Autonomous College was arrested on Saturday, following an order from Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhawan. The teacher was accused of sexually assaulting a female student during a college trip to Puri. These incidents have caused deep concern and outrage in the community, and it is crucial for swift and stringent action to be taken against the perpetrators to ensure the safety and security of women in the city.
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