Three police stations refuse to take complaint of Cuttack gang rape victim: Congress

Representative image | Photo Credit: AP

The Congress alleged that three police stations in Odisha’s Cuttack district refused to receive the complaint of a 19-year-old college student who survived multiple gang rapes.

Congress Cuttack-Barabati MLA Sofia Firdous demanded an investigation into the role of the police for allegedly enabling the woman to travel from one police station to another to lodge a complaint.

The woman claimed that she went to Puri Ghat police station, then Sadar police station and then Barang before an FIR was lodged by Badambadi police station.

No arrests so far

Police said they arrested six people, including the woman’s boyfriend, for gang-raping the woman multiple times and videotaping the acts.

The woman claimed that she and her boyfriend went to a cafe in Puri Ghat police station area during Dussehra to celebrate her birthday. However, her boyfriend recorded some intimate moments there on his phone, allegedly with the help of the cafe owner.

With this video, her boyfriend and his friends blackmailed her and raped her multiple times. Police said the complaint was lodged on November 4 and the accused was arrested within the next two days.

Firdous met DGP YB Khurania and submitted a memorandum regarding the incident on Saturday, November 10, 2024.

“When the victim went to lodge an FIR against the accused, three police stations in Cuttack refused to register it. Therefore, I have urged the DGP to investigate why the FIR was not lodged in the first place,” he told reporters.

“The delay is worrying and raises serious concerns about the responsiveness of law enforcement agencies, particularly in tackling crimes against women,” he added.

Ms Firdous expressed concerns for the survivor’s health and safety, claiming that she cannot be reached at this time.

Delay in lodging FIR

Stating that such incidents have never taken place in densely populated Cuttack, he said, “If such incidents are happening in this city now, then it is a matter of concern.” he said. Cuttack’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena said: PTI It was stated that an investigation would be conducted into the allegations made by the MLA.

“In the first instance, we came to know about the allegation that the police did not keep records from the MLA. The police will definitely investigate the matter. However, neither the victim nor any of his family members made such a claim. The victim is safe,” he said.

Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Friday, November 8, 2024, said that the state government has zero tolerance for crimes against women and efforts are on to make Odisha free of such crimes by 2026.