Murders, gang-rapes shake Rourkela

Rourkela: Panic gripped the Steel City today as three ghastly murders and two gang-rapes were committed here within 24 hours. While police have been able to arrest 7 persons involved in the gang-rapes, no persons are yet to be nabbed in connection with the murder of three persons in the city.

Two bodies, including that of a woman, were found in a pool of blood in a field near a garage in Hanuman Vatika area while a businessman was shot dead in the city.

Police sources said while the age of the man could be around 35 years, the woman would be around 42 years. The man was identified as Habil Toppo from Khariapada slums, but the identity of the woman is yet to be established.

The sources added that the woman had been staying with his husband in the garage for the past few months while Toppo had started staying close to the garage during past two months.

The husband of the deceased woman has, meanwhile, gone missing after the incident. A forensic team has reached the spot and started investigations.

In another frightening incident, a businessman was shot at by four-bike borne miscreants in Nuagon Gopapur area of the city. The businessman, identified as Sitaram Sahu, had got two bullet injuries. Sahu was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

In Tankotola forest area under Lathikata police limits, a minor girl was forcefully taken to the forest while she was returning home and was gang-raped. All the three persons fled the spot after committing the crime, informed sources.

In another such case registered with police, a girl who was returning home after dropping one of her acquaintance was gang-raped by five persons near Karala Khamman level crossing.

Meanwhile, in the first case all the three persons have been arrested while in the second case police have arrested four persons.