The teenage girl works at an amusement park in Puri. (Representational)
A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped inside a bus in Odisha's Puri, the police said on Tuesday.
The girl, who works at an amusement park in the city, was raped by a helper inside the bus. She was rescued by some people who saw her crying, Superintendent of Police Uma Shankar Dash said.
The police have arrested the accused and filed a case against him under the strict law against child sex abuse.
The girl told police that she had boarded a bus to get home on Monday but fell asleep and missed her stop. "When she woke up around 9 pm, the bus had reached the Puri. She wanted to return to her stop Malatipur, but the helper apparently assured her that she would be dropped off at her destination the next morning. Later that night, he allegedly raped her," Mr Dash added.
The incident has triggered a political storm in the state, with the opposition parties seeking a reply from the ruling BJD on the matter.
Odisha Congress legislator Suresh Routray has demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
"We demand a judicial inquiry into the incident. How did it happen despite the presence of huge number of police personnel in the town for Rath Yatra?" he asked.
Seeking a statement from the Naveen Patnaik-led government on the matter, BJP leader Lekhasree Samantasinghar said, "The BJD has no moral right to speak on women empowerment when girls in Odisha are not safe."
State Transport Minister Padmanabh Behera, on said the government will ensure strict punishment for the accused.
"Our department will fully cooperate with the police in its investigation," he said.