Gang-rape of woman at Gopalpur beach in Odisha’s Berhampur: 10 accused arrested

Police have arrested 10 youths in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a young woman near the Gopalpur beach in Ganjam district. The incident reportedly occurred when the woman went to the beach with her male friend.

According to sources, all the accused are from Hinjilicut area. On Sunday, around 8:30 pm, they visited the Gopalpur beach and spotted the woman and her male friend sitting in a secluded spot. 

The group allegedly clicked photos of the duo and threatened to make them viral if they did not comply. They allegedly extorted Rs 1,000 in cash and forced additional payments through UPI transactions.

Despite their pleas, the miscreants forcefully detained the male friend and physically assaulted him. Meanwhile, some of the accused allegedly took the woman aside and raped her before fleeing the spot, sources informed.

Two of the accused attempted to flee to another state but were intercepted by a special police team and arrested before they could escape.

Police Begin Probe

After a complaint was lodged at Gopalpur police station regarding the incident, a medical examination of the survivor was conducted, and a thorough investigation is underway to ascertain the sequence of events.

While the police have intensified their probe and arrested all the en accused, no official statement has yet been released by senior police officials regarding further developments.

Odisha Deputy CM Expresses Concern

Expressing concern over the matter, Odisha deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, took to her official X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the incident of gang rape of a young woman at Gopalpur beach. So far, 10 people have been arrested. I have spoken to the SP regarding this incident and have ordered a thorough investigation and necessary steps to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.”