Attempt to rape in city: One arrested, two absconding

BHUBANESWAR: One out of three was arrested on Tuesday for molesting a minor girl in a moving auto rickshaw in the city before being thrown out of the vehicle near Delta square in the city on late Sunday night. The other two were absconding and investigation is going on to nab the duo, police sources said.

The arrested person was identified as Suresh Mallick of Kundura village under Gop police station in Puri district. He was driving a hiring auto and living in a slum in the city for last few years.

The Commissionerate Police took the girl to various auto stands of the city for identification of the culprit and finally she recognised the auto driver who drove her out for Mastercanteen. The Khandagiri police arrested the driver and forwarded to the court. Meanwhile, the police requested the court to allow them to take the culprit in police remand for further interrogation.

The victim is now undergoing treatment at a private hospital with multiple injuries with fracture in her left leg. The incident happened within a week of the alleged gangrape of a 19-year-old dancer on Wednesday. The police have arrested four persons in connection with the gang rape case. The police went to Kolkata to nab the fifth accused hiding somewhere in Kolkata.

It may be noted that the minor girl who belongs to Patakura area of Kendrapada was molested by two persons boarded in the auto rickshaw which was coming from Barmunda to Mastercanteen. When the girl raised alarm, they suddenly pushed her out of the vehicle near Delta square and vanished from the spot.   

Keeping eye on the increasing crime in city, the Commissionerate Police have decided to introduce beat patrolling system from January. Under the new system, the city would be divided into 100 beat houses. Each would have two police personnel with a motorcycle, the police sources said.