In a tragic incident, the decomposed body of a 17-year-old girl who had been missing since March 20, was found in a forest in Odisha’s Sambalpur district. The family of the girl alleged that she was raped and murdered. A person has been arrested on the charge of murdering the girl.
The girl’s body was found in a jungle in the Hirakud area near Sambalpur. Reportedly she had eloped with a male friend along with Rs 20,000 in cash from her house in Bargarh district.
The girl's family had lodged a missing complaint with Bargarh Town police after they could not trace her. During the probe, officials tracked her mobile phone to the forest, located around 1 km from Burla, a police officer said. After reaching the spot, police found her body with multiple injuries, suggesting a brutal attack.
"The victim had severe cut injuries on her head, face, neck, and hands, while her face was partially mutilated. The body was already in an advanced stage of decomposition, indicating that she was likely killed on the day she went missing," the officer said.
It has not yet been ascertained whether she was raped and police were waiting for the autopsy result.
Family members of the girl, however, alleged she was murdered after being raped. ASP Indurekha Paschima Kabat said that police have arrested a 21-year-old youth on the charge of murdering the girl.
"On the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim's family, an investigation was launched and with the help of CCTV footage, it was found that she was taken away from her home on a motorcycle. Subsequently, her body was found on Sunday. The prime accused has been arrested and produced before a court after a medical examination on Monday," the official said.
(With inputs from PTI)