Odishatv Bureau

Puri: Close on the heels of the rape of a 17-month-old girl by one of her relatives in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, a minor tribal girl was allegedly raped inside a bus in Puri late last night.

Reportedly, some locals spotted the minor girl, who hails from Keonjhar district, crying near Saradhabali area following which they informed police.

Later, Kumbharpara police rescued the girl and detained the accused helper of the bus basing on her statement.

As per reports, the girl works at a water park near Maltipatpur in the district. On Monday, she was returning from her home and boarded the bus in Cuttack to return to Puri. She had to deboard the bus at Maltipatpur but she fell asleep and woke up at around 9 pm at Puri bus stand.

The helper then reportedly told the girl to sleep inside the bus and later, allegedly raped her.

Meanwhile, Kumbharpara police arrested the accused after interrogation.

"We are interrogating the accused. I can't say anything as of now as an FIR is yet to be registered against him," IIC of Kumbharpara Police Station, had earlier said.

The accused helper, on the other hand, refuted the allegations.

"I had called the girl as she had left her bag in the bus," said the accused.

Puri SP Umashankar Das said, "During her travel in the past, the minor girl from Keonjhar had developed contact with the bus conductor. Yesterday, the accused lured the girl to sleep inside the bus. We have arrested him over rape allegations. We rescued the girl and kept in short stay home."

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