Minor raped in Kalahandi district, one arrested

An eight-year-old girl was raped allegedly by her uncle in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, the police said on Wednesday.

The incident comes days after three similar cases of minors’ rape were reported from three different places -- Nilagiri, Soro and Khaira -- in the State’s Balasore district.

The incident in Kalahandi happened on Tuesday near Bachaka village under the jurisdiction of Biswanathpur police station, the police said.

The accused lured the girl with fruits and took her to a nearby forest, Additional Superintendent of Police of Kalahandi Gopinath Mani Patra said.

Her father’s cousin

The accused, a cousin of the girl’s late father, allegedly raped her inside the forest, the ASP said.

After returning home, the girl, a student of Class III, narrated the incident to her mother who lodged a complaint with the police, he said.

A case was registered against the accused on the basis of the FIR and the accused was arrested, Mr. Patra, also in-charge of the investigation unit for crime against women, said.

Both the girl and the accused were sent for medical examination, he said, adding that the girl’s statement was recorded before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Bhawanipatna.

The incidents in Balasore triggered public outcry and had stalled the proceedings of the Assembly on Monday.