Bhubaneswar: College student blackmailed & gang-raped

Bhubaneswar: Six persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the sexual assault of a college student in Cuttack while also threatening to make her obscene videos viral. Speaking to mediapersons, Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena on Friday said a case was registered at Badambadi police station on November 4 under sections 70 (1) (gang-rape), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 3(5) (common intention) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, section 3 (2) (VA) of the SC/ST Act and 67(A) of the IT Act.

Meena said a special team comprising the IIC of Badambadi and Purighat police stations was formed under ACP Swastik Panda to apprehend the accused persons. “From the FIR, we ascertained that they (the accused) managed to get an obscene video of the victim and used to blackmail her over this. The accused persons each had sexually abused the victim twice on two different days. Two others also used to threaten the victim and are involved in the abetment to the crime,” said DCP Meena.

He said the police acted proactively and arrested three persons on November 5 while three others were held on November 6. One of the accused persons arrested in the case is a minor. The victim girl’s boyfriend has also been arrested in the case.

“If any woman victim has got trapped in similar situations and is getting blackmailed, then please don’t get scared. Every police station has a dedicated woman and child help desk where the victim can lodge a report without any hesitation. We will help as per the law,” appealed Meena.

On whether the accused shared the obscene videos with anyone, Meena said the mobile phones of the accused have been seized, which will be sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory for examination and action will be taken after the report is received.

Sources said the accused boyfriend of the girl, with the help of his friend, captured some obscene videos of her at a cafe in Purighat area where she was celebrating her birthday party during Dussehra. The accused persons later sexually abused the victim multiple times by threatening to circulate her video.

Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the government will ensure that the culprits are punished. “The government will take very strong action in Cuttack gang-rape case. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on various occasions directed the police to take stringent action against people involved in crimes against women,” the minister said.

Efforts are on to declare Odisha a crime-free State for women by 2036, the minister said.