Police arrested a 24-year-old youth from Chennai who had been absconding after allegedly abducting and raping a 16-year-old girl in Deogarh.
The accused, Umakanta Nayak, hails from Dimiria village under Pallahara police limits in Angul district.
According to reports, the minor girl had left home on March 17, stating she was going to the Bank of India located at Barkot Block Headquarters. When she failed to return by evening, her family searched extensively but to no avail. Her mother subsequently filed a missing persons report at the Barkote police station.
On March 19, police registered a case and launched an investigation, which revealed that Umakanta had abducted the girl. She was rescued a few days later, but the accused had fled, evading arrest for months.
During questioning, the minor disclosed that Umakanta had lured her with false promises and forcibly assaulted her despite her resistance. Based on her statement, police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 137(2), 87, and 64(2)(M).
Following leads, Barkot police traced Umakanta to Chennai. Under the direction of Inspector Mamata Panigrahi, a special team was dispatched and successfully apprehended the accused. He was produced in court on Thursday, where his bail plea was rejected, and he was remanded to judicial custody.
