Odisha constable held for molesting woman, girl while on duty

When the victims raised an alarm, an angry crowd chased the accused and apprehended the Odisha police constable. Behera was allegedly in an inebriated state at that time.

An Odisha police constable was arrested for allegedly molesting a teenage girl and a woman at a crowded bus stop in Kendrapara on duty, officials said on Monday.

When the victims raised an alarm, an angry crowd chased the accused and apprehended the Odisha police constable. Behera was allegedly in an inebriated state at that time. (PTI file photo)

Amar Kumar Behera had allegedly committed the crime on Sunday, when the girl and the woman were waiting for a bus at a passenger shed in Rajnagar area, police said.

When the victims raised an alarm, an angry crowd chased the accused and apprehended him. Behera was allegedly in an inebriated state at that time, they said.

“It is very unfortunate incident. This sort of act and behaviour is bound to lower the image of police. The accused has already been placed under suspension,” Kendrapara superintendent of police Dayanidhi Gochayat Behera said.

Behera was arrested and a case under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC and section 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) was registered against him.

He was later produced in a local court which rejected his bail plea and was sent in jail.