Man held for raping differently abled minor girl in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: A 48-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping a mentally and physically disabled minor girl in Odisha’s Nayagarh district, about four months back.

Accused Braja Bandhu Sahoo of Gadadhar Prasad village under Itamati police limits has confessed to the crime. He has been produced in the court and sent to judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected.

The incident came to light after the 16-year-old victim complained that she was feeling unwell, following which her parents rushed her to a nearby hospital on Tuesday. After medical check-up, the doctors came to know that she was pregnant.

When the victim's parents queried about it, she revealed that a man staying in the same locality had sneaked into their house and raped her. She later identified the man as Sahoo.

Nayagarh SP Ashish Kumar Singh said the local police took suo motu cognizance of the matter and apprehended the accused when an attempt was being made by the locals to resolve it.

“Sahoo trespassed into the house when the victim’s parents were not at home. Taking advantage of the girl's disabilities, he sexually assaulted her. He has also confessed that he committed the crime," Singh told The New Indian Express.

Sahoo worked as a labourer and has a son who is as old as the victim. As the news spread in the locality, a group of villagers tried to sort out the matter. The informed police stepped in and nabbed the culprit.