Dhenkanal rape accused arrested

Dhenkanal: A day after rescuing a rape victim in critical condition from a forest near Dhenkanal bypass road, police arrested the accused today.

The cops are questioning the accused identified as Sibashis Mohanty, who belongs to Gandia area in the district. According to the victim woman, the accused was her lover. On the other hand, the victim was shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack from the Dhenkanal headquarters hospital (DHH) today for further treatment.

On Wednesday some locals spotted the woman in the forest and informed the police, who rescued and admitted her to the Dhenkanal DHH. As per the victim, her lover called her to the forest near Dhenkanal College bypass road on Monday evening. He later raped and thrashed her severely before fleeing away. She was lying inside the forest since Monday as she was unable to move.

Dhenkanal SP Basant Panigrahi said during interrogation it is revealed that he had love affair with the woman. He raped her on Monday and dumped her inside the forests and fled away to divert the investigation.