Argus News - Two arrested for sexual assault of minor near Dhauli in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Dec 16: The Commissionerate Police has arrested two youths accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl and robbing her near Lingipur village, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The incident occurred on December 10 when the victim and her friend were returning from the historic Dhauli peace pagoda, a popular tourist destination, police said on Tuesday.

According to police sources, the victim’s mother initially lodged a complaint alleging that the duo had assaulted and robbed her daughter and her friend, snatching a 20-gram gold chain and a 5-gram silver ornament. She later returned to the Dhauli police station with her daughter to file a supplementary complaint, stating that the accused had also sexually abused the minor.

Acting swiftly, the police, accompanied by a scientific team, visited the crime scene to collect forensic evidence. The two accused were subsequently arrested and produced before a local court on Monday.

The case has once again brought into focus the rising incidents of sexual violence in Odisha’s capital. Official figures reveal that between June 2024 and September 2025, 188 rape cases were registered in the Bhubaneswar Urban Police District, including 78 cases involving minors. During the same period, three gangrape cases were also reported in the city.

Statewide statistics paint an equally grim picture. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently informed the Assembly that 3,861 rape cases were recorded across Odisha between April 2024 and September 2025, with police arresting 3,239 persons in connection with these crimes. The Mahila Police Station in Bhubaneswar alone registered 213 cases of atrocities against women in 2024.

The arrests near Dhauli highlight both the urgency of addressing gender-based violence and the need for systemic reforms to ensure justice and safety for women across Odisha.