Six men and four minors were taken into custody by the Odisha Police on Tuesday in relation to the gang rape of a college student at Gopalpur Beach, which is close to Berhampur city.
Police say the accused rode three motorcycles to Gopalpur beach on Sunday and went to swim in the sea. They arrived at a remote area of the beach at about 6 p.m., and by about 6.30 p.m., the college student and a male companion had also arrived. The pair was allegedly challenged by the accused at approximately 8 p.m., and three of them raped the woman while the others attacked and restrained the male, according to the police.
Although the other six accused were brought before a court and the four juveniles were brought before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Berhampur Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M stated that police would request that the JJB consider the juveniles as adults for the purposes of the trial. “This is a heinous crime, and as per the Supreme Court, juveniles above 16 years of age can be tried as adults in the case of a heinous offence. In this case, all four juvenile accused are 17 years old. So, we will pray before the JJB to treat them as adults. We are confident that the juvenile board will consider our plea,” the SP told.
The primary suspect, according to the police, is a 23-year-old from a nearby village who works at a plant in Bengaluru and returned home on leave. The police inquiry found that the accused had also allegedly kept the woman’s male companion hostage and demanded money from him. According to the Berhampur SP, police have proof that the accused stole money from him both in cash and via a UPI transaction.
According to police sources, the survivor and her friend managed to go back to their respective places of residence after the assault. The woman lodged a police complaint the next day. Following the complaint by the survivor on Monday, a case was registered at Gopalpur police station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 70(1) (gangrape), 296 (obscene acts and songs), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) and 310(2) (offence of dacoity). The Gopalpur police have already conducted a medical test of the survivor and recorded both her and her friend’s statements. Scientific evidence from the crime scene has also been collected, police said.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and has asked the Odisha police chief to conduct a “swift and time-bound investigation”. It has also sought an action taken report within three days. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has strongly condemned the incident, calling it “a heinous crime against humanity”. He assured that those responsible would face the strictest punishment under law. “This is a deeply deplorable act that shocks the conscience of society. No one involved, directly or indirectly, will be spared,” the CM said in a statement.
With the opposition BJD and Congress intensifying their attacks on the BJP government over what they claimed was the worsening law and order situation in Odisha, the episode has sparked a significant political storm.
Former chief minister and opposition leader Naveen Patnaik said the tragedy at a popular tourist spot in Odisha was really disturbing and left everyone in shock. Concerned about women’s safety in tourism destinations, Patnaik called on the government to take precautions against the “increasing atrocities against women every day.” Ajay Kumar Lallu, the Odisha in-charge for the All India Congress Committee, claimed that the state’s law and order situation had deteriorated and that the Gopalpur beach tragedy had rocked the country.
Though Gopalpur beach stretches to around 8 km, only a 1-km stretch is generally crowded and the remaining parts are empty and dark after sunset. Thousands of tourists from Odisha and nearby states visit the beach every day. The Berhampur SP said police have requested the administration for three all-terrain vehicles for better patrolling of the beach. They have also asked for the entire 8 km of the beach to be illuminated for tourists’ safety.
