Kataka: Police have launched a manhunt and conducted raids at multiple locations to apprehend the remaining accused in the alleged gang-rape of a woman in Kataka district late Tuesday night.

Five people have already been arrested in connection with the case, while one accused remains absconding, police said.

Four police teams have been formed to conduct raids at different locations, with a DSP supervising the investigation.

In view of the sensitive nature of the case, police have not disclosed the identities of the arrested accused.

The survivor is from Kataka district, while her male friend is from the Fatehgarh police station area of Nayagarh district.

According to the complaint, the woman and her male friend were travelling by car towards Kendrapada late Tuesday night. When the man, who was driving, felt tired, he parked the vehicle near the Public Works Department (PWD) Guest House at Sukarpada along the Cuttack-Chandbali road and fell asleep inside the car.

Between around 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., a group of four to six youths allegedly arrived at the spot, smashed the car windows and assaulted the man. They allegedly dragged the woman to a nearby abandoned building, where she was allegedly sexually assaulted.

The accused later allegedly took the woman away in another vehicle. Her male friend followed them in his car.
Near Katikata, the woman reportedly raised an alarm. Hearing her cries, local residents, along with her male friend, chased the vehicle and intercepted it.

The accused allegedly abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot. Local residents managed to catch one of them and handed him over to the police.

Nischintakoili police subsequently reached the spot and took the accused into custody. The woman and her male friend were also brought to the police station.

Based on the woman’s complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation. The survivor was also taken for a medical examination, police said.

Following the incident, Cuttack Rural SP Vineet Agrawal, Additional SP Pradipta Kumar Sahu and Salepur SDPO Biranchi Narayan Pati visited the spot.

Further investigation is underway.