Balasore: The Nilagiri police have arrested three Forest staff for allegedly attempting to rape a 40-year-old woman at Tenda village in Odisha's Balasore district last night.

According to reports, four Forest staff, identified as Anjan Das, Ganeswar Biswal, Khudiram Singh and Muskan Singh, allegedly tried to rape the woman around 12 am while she was sleeping along with her minor daughter on a scaffold to keep a watch on paddy crops.

The woman raised an alarm following which the accused fled the spot. Hearing the woman screaming for help, villagers reached the spot and came to know about the incident from her.

The locals then gheraoed the nearby Tenda beat house and nabbed three of the accused while Muskan Singh managed to escape. The villagers tied the trio to a tree at the village and informed the police about the matter. The three were later arrested.

Investigation into the incident is underway on the basis of a complaint lodged by the woman’s family. Medical examination of the woman and the accused will be conducted today, police sources said.

On the other hand, Kuldiha Forest Range Officer Laxman Pradhan refuted the allegations. "Animal meat was seized from the woman's house yesterday. Searching her husband, the Forest staff had gone near the scaffold. Realising the absence of her husband at the spot, they returned," the official said.