Sarpanch’s hubby booked for rape

Berhampur: Police on Saturday registered a case under the Pocso Act against the husband of a woman sarpanch in Gajapati district for allegedly raping a Class IX girl student multiple times and making her pregnant. The accused, Manas Mandal (38), is a father of three children.
“We have registered a case against Mandal after the father of the girl lodged an FIR against him for raping his 14-year-old daughter for which she was now become pregnant,” said S Panda, inspector in-charge of the local police station. The accused is on the run, Panda added.
Police said the medical test of the girl would be conducted to ascertain her pregnancy and search has been intensified to nab the accused. Police said the accused had raped the minor several times when she would be alone at home.
The girl did not disclose the incident to her parents for fear of social stigma. She, however, told her parents about her plight after she was started feeling sick, the police said. The girl’s condition is now better, police added.