Bhubaneswar, July 20: A man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly attempting to rape a young woman after luring her with the offer of a lift from the Khordha bus stand. The woman was rescued after a massive five-hour search operation launched by Odisha Police in the Ratanpur Reserve Forest.
According to police sources, the accused offered to drop the woman at her destination but allegedly diverted the vehicle to a secluded area inside the Ratanpur Reserve Forest with the intention of sexually assaulting her. Sensing danger, the woman managed to escape from his clutches and ran deep into the forest to save herself.
Stranded in the dense forest and terrified, the woman contacted the police for help despite her mobile phone having only 10 per cent battery remaining. Realising the urgency of the situation, police immediately launched a coordinated rescue operation involving more than 50 personnel from Infovalley, Jatni, Tamando, Khandagiri and Chandaka police stations.
After an intensive search that lasted nearly five hours, police successfully traced the woman late on Sunday and rescued her safely from the forest. She was later provided counselling and necessary support by police officers.
Initially, the woman was reluctant to lodge a complaint due to the trauma she had undergone. However, after receiving reassurance and counselling from the police, she filed a formal First Information Report (FIR) detailing the alleged incident.
Based on her statement, police identified and arrested the accused. He has been taken into custody, and investigators are collecting evidence to establish the sequence of events.
Police said the investigation is continuing, and further legal action will be taken based on the findings. Officials also praised the swift response and coordinated efforts of the police teams, which ensured the victim’s safe rescue from the forest.
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