Latest news with #Malkangiri
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Girl, 15, is gang-raped on her way back from birthday party before escaping only to be sexually assaulted by truck driver who offered her a lift in India
A 15-year-old girl was abducted and gang raped on her way back home from a birthday party, only to be sexually assaulted again by a driver who offered her a lift after she escaped. Police say the girl was initially taken by three men on Sunday in south Odisha's Malkangiri, India, and driven 10 to 15 kilometres from the town, where she was allegedly tortured and raped. After fleeing, she attempted to return home and was picked up by a truck driver on the Malkangiri-Jeypore highway at Bijaghati. But her ordeal was far from over when the man reportedly raped her as well. Residents are said to have rescued the girl after spotting her with the driver. She later reported the incident to the police. The teenager's parents had lodged a missing persons report after she failed to return home from the party. Four suspects have been arrested and identified as Manoj Harijan, Rohit Kumar Hial, Bira Bhartia, and the driver, Sobham Singh, who local media reports is 26 years old. Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Vinodh Patil said: 'All four persons involved in the crime have been arrested.' Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the incident and warned about the uptick in violence against women in the area. The girl was initially taken by three men in south Odisha's Malkangiri, India, and driven 10 to 15 kilometres from the town, where she was allegedly tortured and raped He said: 'A disturbing wave of crimes against women is gripping Odisha… 'This surge in sexual assaults reflects a troubling erosion of law enforcement. When the various ranks of the police face interference and political pressure, accountability weakens - and women and girls pay the price first.' He also spoke about how the area has been added to a list of places where American employees must seek approval before travelling. 'Without urgent and decisive police action and political will backing it, this problem will only grow', he added.
New Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC rejects IAS officer Manish Agarwal's anticipatory bail plea in suicide abetment case
CUTTACK: Senior IAS officer Manish Agarwal's anticipatory bail petition in connection with the case proceedings against him for allegedly abetting the suicide by his personal assistant (PA) while he was collector of Malkangiri five years ago has been rejected by the Orissa High Court. Agarwal, presently additional secretary Planning and Convergence department, sought pre-arrest bail after the court of SDJM, Malkangiri, rejected his petition seeking through his counsel exemption from appearance during trial. The SDJM had stressed that under the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, an accused's first appearance in a criminal case must be physical. The accused should first present himself before the SDJM court and then may seek exemption from personal attendance before the trial court, which is the sessions court. Agarwal sought protection expressing apprehension that if he appears before the SDJM Court, he will be remanded to custody on the ground that offence under section 306 of the IPC (abetting suicide) is triable by the court of sessions. However, the single judge bench of Justice V Narasingh declined to grant exceptional remedy of anticipatory bail as he did not find any merit in the submissions made on his behalf. While citing an observation of the Supreme Court, Justice Narasingh said, 'Just as liberty is precious for an individual so is the interest of the society in maintaining law and order. Both are extremely important for the survival of a civilised society.'
