The Commissionerate Police’s Mahila Police Station has arrested an AC repair technician, Hijabul Rehman, for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a minor girl when he visited her home for repairs.
According to police, the girl’s family had called Rehman to fix a faulty air conditioner. The minor was alone at home as her parents were away at work. Seeing her alone, the accused allegedly misbehaved with her and attempted to assault her. The girl resisted and raised an alarm.
After her parents returned home, she narrated the entire incident. The family immediately approached the Mahila Police Station and filed a complaint. A case was registered under relevant sections for sexual assault attempt and misconduct with a minor.
Police reached the spot with a forensic team, collected evidence, and reviewed CCTV footage to identify the accused. Rehman, a resident of Khordha district, was traced and arrested. He was produced in court and remanded to judicial custody.
Investigations are ongoing to check if the accused has any previous criminal record. The minor’s statement has been recorded.
The incident has sparked outrage in the locality and renewed concerns over women’s safety in the capital city. Residents have expressed alarm over the rising incidents of violence against women and girls. Recently, two separate gang-rape cases involving minors were reported from areas near Daya riverbank and Sahid Nagar, in which the police arrested the accused.
Notably, similar complaints against AC technicians have surfaced in other cities in the past, including Navi Mumbai (2022), Ludhiana (2023), and Pune (2017 and 2022). This appears to be the first such reported case in Bhubaneswar, highlighting growing fearlessness among offenders and questions over deterrence.
