New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday sought a report from the Odisha government and state police within two weeks over the gang-rape of a 20-year-old college student in Ganjam district.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report highlighting the horrific gang-rape perpetrated by 10 men, the Commission observed that the contents of the report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights.

Referring to the incident at the popular Gopalpur sea beach on June 15, the NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Odisha, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

The report is expected to include the status of the investigation in the case, the victim’s health and compensation/counselling, if any, provided to her by the state authorities, said an official statement.

According to the media report, the victim had gone to the beach along with a male friend to celebrate the Raja festival. The perpetrators after overpowering her friend, sexually assaulted her.

Reports said that the 10 youths, belonging to the Hinjili area of Ganjam district, reached the beach around 8 p.m. Finding the couple alone on the beach at an isolated spot, they started misbehaving with them.

A few of them held the man captive while the others raped her. Worryingly, a few of the accused are minors.

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.

According to a media report, carried on June 16, the victim was sent to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur for medical examination after the incident.

So far, the police have detained seven suspects in the case.

Earlier, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida directed the Berhampur Superintendent of Police to take quick and strict action against the culprits in the incident.

Parida, who also heads the Women and Child Development Department, wrote on X, “I am deeply saddened by the incident of gang-rape of a young woman at Gopalpur beach… I have spoken to the SP regarding this incident and have ordered a thorough investigation and necessary steps to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future.”

–IANS

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