Bhubaneswar, June 17 (IANS) The Berhampur Police have arrested six people and detained four juveniles in connection with the horrific gang-rape of a college student at the popular Gopalpur sea beach in Odisha on Sunday evening, Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M said on Tuesday.

The six accused persons were identified as Pramod Nayak, 23 of Purushottampur area, Kunal Pradhan, 24, of Bellagam Police limits and Baburam Dalai, 19, Lakman Pradhan, 24, Om Pradhan, 19, and Deepak Tarai, of Hinjili police station area.

All the juveniles detained in the case hail from Sikiri village in Hinjili Police limits.

The prime accused, Pramod, a B.Tech drop out, currently working in an electronics factory in Bengaluru, had recently come home on leave. He was also involved in two more criminal cases in the past.

The Berhampur SP further added that on June 15, the 20-year-old victim, who is studying +3 in a Berhampur college, along with her classmate visited the popular Gopalpur beach at around 6.30 pm to celebrate the Raja festival and reached an area behind a hotel on the beach.

They also spotted the accused men sitting around 50 meters away from the spot.

“At around 8 PM, the group of men came behind the couple and overpowered the male friend and dragged the woman around 50 feet away. Three accused persons (Pramod, Baburam and Kunal) raped the woman while seven others helped them by keeping the man and woman captive.

“They released the man and the victim at around 10 PM,” said the Berhampur SP.

The rapists and their accomplices while leaving the place also threatened the duo that they would face dire consequences if they filed any complaint with the police regarding the gang-rape.

The accused men also extorted money from the victim and her friend.

Later, the victim and her friend reached Gopalpur police station and narrated their ordeal at around 11 PM on Sunday night.

The IIC Gopalpur Police station and his team immediately formed a team and detained seven of the suspects initially and started interrogation.

Later three teams were formed to identify and detain the rest of the suspects.

Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, a case has been registered under Sections 70(1), 296, 351(3), and 310(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Saravana Vivek also asserted that the Odisha police will take all steps to ensure the rapists get the maximum punishment under the law, following their trial.

“As all the juveniles involved in the case are aged 17 years and this is a case of a heinous offence, we will pray to the Juvenile Justice Board to treat the juveniles as adults for the purpose of trial,” the SP further added.

Answering queries over poor security arrangements at the Gopalpur beach, the Berhampur SP assured that police will increase patrolling in the area and urge the district administration to improve solar lighting and other amenities to ensure the safety of tourists on the beach.

–IANS

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