Cuttack: An undertrial prisoner was allegedly sexually assaulted by a convicted inmate at Choudwar Circle Jail in Odisha's Cuttack inside the jail premises.

According to sources, the accused, identified as Kahna Nayak, is serving a sentence after being convicted in a murder case. He was lodged in Room No. 23 of the jail. The victim is an 18-year-old undertrial prisoner from Jagatsinghpur district who is facing charges in a theft case.

The alleged incident took place on June 21 at around 1.30 pm. Nayak took the undertrial prisoner to a toilet located near the jail kitchen, where he made the youth consume an intoxicating substance before sexually assaulting him.

The assault is said to have continued for nearly 30 minutes before a warder reached the spot on receiving information, and produced them before the jail authorities.

Written statements were recorded from both inmates. As per norms, the matter should have been reported to Choudwar Police Station for legal action. However, allegations have surfaced that efforts were made to handle the matter internally instead of filing an FIR.

Following the incident, Nayak was shifted from Room No. 23 to Room No. 46.

The accused has also reportedly faced allegations in the past of sexually exploiting other inmates. In addition, prison staff have alleged that he has been involved in the illegal sale of narcotic substances, including ganja, brown sugar, liquor and tobacco products inside the jail with the help of a jail employee. It is further alleged that these substances were stored in the jail kitchen and supplied to inmates.