A woman was allegedly gang-raped by two men in Odisha, a seventh such case of sexual assault in less than 20 days, raising concerns over women's safety and questions about the law and order in the eastern state.
According to the police, the woman was grazing goats near Bhalukhai forest on Tuesday when she was allegedly waylaid by Bhajaman Bhoi and Sunanda Pihu, both of whom raped her. Both Bhoi and Pihu were arrested hours after the incident on the basis of a complaint by the survivor.
"The survivor has accused Bhajaman Bhoi and Sananda Pihu of gang-raping her near Bhalumara forest while she was on her way to graze goats. She was brutally raped. Upon being informed, we conducted a raid and arrested the two accused," Bairi police station Inspector-in-Charge Ansumala Das said.
Local residents said the accused were known to the survivor. Police said a detailed probe is underway.
Since mid-June, several cases of rapes and gang-rapes have been reported across the state.
On Tuesday, police said a Class 7 student was allegedly raped by a distant relative in Ganjam district on June 28. The 22-year-old accused was later arrested.
On June 25, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a clinic owner in Ganjam district. In a separate case, a young woman was allegedly gang-raped while returning home from a local temple in Mayurbhanj district.
A 31-year-old woman was allegedly raped by four men in Mayurbhanj district on June 19.
A day earlier, the body of a 17-year-old girl was found hanging from a tree in a paddy field near her house in Keonjhar district. The family claimed she had gone missing the previous evening. Police confirmed the body bore injury marks. The family alleged she was sexually assaulted before her death even as the police said a detailed probe is underway.
On June 15, a college student was reportedly gang raped at Gopalpur sea beach; 10 people were arrested.
(With inputs from Dev Kumar Ghosh)
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