A brutal gang-rape incident involving a young Scheduled Caste woman in the Jagatsinghpur Sadar police area has sent shockwaves across Odisha.
The primary accused, identified as Priti Ranjan Behera alias Chiku (23), was apprehended from Niali. Further arrests are anticipated as three police teams—led by the SDPO—continue an aggressive investigation.
Jagatsinghpur SP Bhawani Shankar Udgata confirmed the arrest and initiated enhanced searches, aided by scientific personnel who recovered critical evidence, including blood stains and objectionable items from the crime scene in Chandgaon Majurai. Medical teams recorded the survivor’s statement and conducted medical examinations of both her and the arrested accused.
The crime, which occurred during the victim’s trip to a birthday dinner, has ignited fierce political reaction. Delegations from both BJD and Congress visited the district hospital to meet the survivor and assess her condition. Prominent leaders, including ex-Congress MLA Lalatendu Mahapatra, ex-BJD MLA Prasanta Muduli, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, and BJP MLA Amarendra Das, pledged swift legal action and expressed solidarity with the victim’s family.
Both parties condemned the rise in women-targeted violence, holding the state government responsible for deteriorating law and order. The case has been registered under FIR No. 537/25 at Sadar Police Station.
The incident marks a critical juncture in the debate over women’s safety in Odisha, with political parties warning of statewide protests if justice is delayed.
