Young couple harassed, assaulted near tourist site in Odisha - The Indian Express

A young couple were harassed and assaulted by a group in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district while they were returning on a motorcycle from a popular tourist and religious place. The incident came to light after a video surfaced on social media on Tuesday, after which police apprehended two people.

The development comes against the backdrop of two teenagers being targeted in Bihar’s Jamui – while the boy was assaulted, the girl faced molestation from a group of men.

Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar said they have registered an FIR and launched an investigation. “We have detained two people and will arrest them soon. We are verifying the involvement of others,” Sonkar told The Indian Express.

Police are verifying when exactly the incident took place. They said four people from nearby Cuttack district, including the couple, had visited the site on two motorcycles.

While returning, someone from the group got into an argument with a local youth. Following the altercation, the local allegedly called several members of his family, who then chased the couple and assaulted them, said a police officer. He said both people detained by police are from the same family.

“We are verifying the exact circumstances that led to the confrontation,” said the officer.

Even though the couple requested the attackers to let them go, the group allegedly assaulted and harassed them. Someone in the crowd shot the video on their mobile phone and uploaded it on social media.

The couple registered a zero FIR, which has now been forwarded to the Gondia police station, where a case has been registered under various Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including molestation, using criminal force against a woman and the Information Technology Act.

Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More