Kendrapada: A 32-year-old fugitive who allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl in June 2023 at a village in Jajpur district and evaded cops for more than a year, was arrested from his house on Friday night.
“After committing the crime, the accused fled from the village. Acting on a tip-off, we arrested him,” said investigation officer (IO) of the case, Asit Kumar Balabantray.
The girl’s mother filed an FIR in the police station last year alleging the accused, a neighbour, raped her daughter while she was alone at home. The accused also threatened the victim with dire consequences if she told anyone about the crime, added Balabantray.
The accused was booked under Section 376 (rape) of IPC and Section 6 of the Pocso Act, 2012. He was produced in a court on Saturday, which rejected his bail application and remanded him in judicial custody, the IO said.TNN