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Bhubaneswar student alleges gang rape after kidnapping attempt to delete obscene videos surfaces
Police said all aspects of the case, including the alleged abduction attempt and the gang rape allegations, are being investigated.
A 23-year-old engineering student in Bhubaneswar has alleged that she was gang-raped by four youths, including her boyfriend, after being drugged at a rented accommodation, police said. The case surfaced after the woman and some of her friends allegedly attempted to kidnap one of the accused in a bid to delete obscene videos purportedly recorded during the assault.
Police said the victim, along with a few associates, allegedly abducted Ranjan Behera and his associate in a car from Khurda on Monday. The woman reportedly wanted the videos deleted after Behera allegedly used them to threaten and blackmail her.
Following information about the abduction, police traced the two men to an abandoned house in the Chhatabar area and rescued them. The woman and her friends were also detained from the spot.
The victim later lodged a complaint at Infovalley police station on Tuesday, following which a case was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 70(1). Four youths have since been arrested and further investigation is underway.
Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police Jagmohan Meena said that during questioning, the woman told investigators she had visited the rented accommodation of her boyfriend, Subhankar Parhi, in the Kaimatia area around 20 days ago.
According to police, Parhi’s friends — identified as Ranjan Behera, Rati Ranjan Tarai and Sipun Behera — were also present at the accommodation.
“The four offered sedative-laced cold drinks to the girl following which she became unconscious. She told us that she was raped and videos of the crime were recorded by the four. Parhi and the victim studied in the same engineering college,” Meena said.
Police said the woman alleged that after she regained consciousness, the accused threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident to anyone and warned that the videos would be made viral.
She further alleged that Ranjan Behera continued threatening her and pressured her to enter into a relationship with him, claiming he would otherwise circulate the videos online.
Police said all aspects of the case, including the alleged abduction attempt and the gang rape allegations, are being investigated.
