A 20-year-old college student, who had visited the Gopalpur sea beach of Odisha’s Ganjam district on Sunday evening, was allegedly gangraped by around 10 men. The assaulters even overpowered her male friend, said police on Monday.
Ten people have been arrested in connection with the gangrape.
The victim is an undergraduate student at a private college in Ganjam. She was visiting the beach with her friend to celebrate the Raja festival. It was during this time when 10 men approached her. The girl was sexually assaulted by these 10 men one after the other after they tied up her friend, said Berhampur superintendent of police (SP) Vivek Saravana, quoting the FIR.
The woman, in her complaint lodged at the Gopalpur police station, alleged that when they were sitting at an isolated place on the beach, a group of 10 people approached them, rounded up her boyfriend and took turns to rape her.
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"Initially, seven people were detained for interrogation. Later, all 10 accused were arrested," a police officer told the media. The accused were nabbed while they were trying to flee to another state, he said.
Medical examination of the survivor has been conducted, he added. Police said the survivor lived in a private mess along with three other women.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said she has spoken to SP Saravana Vivek M and has ordered a thorough investigation and necessary steps to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future. The incident sent shockwaves across the state as tourists from far-off places visit the beach in the Ganjam district.
Police said the accused are not local residents and had come to the beach during the Raja festival. As per the white paper on crimes released by state home department in March this year, Odisha saw 8 per cent rise in number of rape cases in 2024 compared to 2023.
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