In an incident that reminds of the terrifying Nirbhaya gangrape case that shook the entire nation, a driver and conductor of a private bus were arrested on Friday for kidnapping, raping and murdering a teenage girl.
"We have arrested the driver Santosh Sahu and conductor Bibhuti Rout of Athagarh and recovered the weapon of offence - a wrench," Amresh Panigrahi, Sub-Divisional police officer (SDPO) of Banki said.
He said the police scientific team have also recovered some blood-stained apparels from the bus, which have been sent for examination.
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The body of the girl has been recovered below Jatamundia Bridge over river Mahanadi on the outskirts of Banki on Wednesday morning with a deep wound on her forehead, police said.
After ascertaining that the victim was a native of Athagarh, police zeroed in on the bus driver, who allegedly had an affair with the girl.
Quoting family sources, police said the girl had left her home on August 1 in the morning saying she was going to a relative's house nearby and did not return.
Interrogating the accused, it was found that the girl was reportedly taken in the bus to a desolate place in Ratagarh, where she was gangraped before being murdered.
Not ruling out the involvement of more persons in the crime, police said the girl apparently died instantly when her forehead was hit severely with the wrench.
"We are waiting for the medical and postmortem report, which can throw more light on the case," the SDPO said, adding, the doctors have already revealed that the girl was raped several times.
(With PTI inputs)
