Rourkela: A 26-year-old man was arrested in Sundargarh district Friday night for allegedly raping and sexually exploiting a girl over seven years on the pretext of marriage. The accused has been charged under the Pocso Act as the victim was minor when the assaults began.
According to police reports, the woman, now 24, first met the accused at a hospital when she was 17. She had gone there to attend to an ailing relative when the accused befriended her and they exchanged phone numbers.
The accused allegedly developed a physical relationship with her after promising to marry her. Over the years, he repeatedly took her to various lodges and sexually assaulted her. During this period, she became pregnant and was forced to abort the baby.
“The accused kept delaying marriage under various excuses and eventually started avoiding her,” said sub-inspector Dolomani Naik. When all attempts to convince him failed, the woman filed an FIR on Thursday evening.
Following a swift investigation, police arrested the accused Friday night. “We have registered cases under relevant sections of the IPC for rape and the Pocso Act,” SI Naik added.