A horrific new report of a sexual assault has come out of Bhubaneswar, the country’s capital. This time, the crime took place in “Nataala,” a nine-story structure housing the department heads next to the Secretariat.
According to reports, two employees of the office of the Heads of Departments allegedly sexually assaulted a young woman from Sambalpur under the guise of offering her a job. The health directorate turned the case over to police for inquiry based on the woman’s claims.
According to reports, police arrived at the scene and apprehended the driver and a senior worker from the health department who were both reportedly intoxicated. Later on, though, both of them were freed.
On how the accused were released without a thorough investigation, concerns were raised. The woman has not filed a complaint in this regard, according to the police.
According to early reports, the two suspects had called the Sambalpur-based woman and promised to provide her employment in Nataala. The woman arrived at Nataala the very following day in search of employment. She was led to a room where the staff, who were inebriated, assaulted her sexually. The victim allegedly faced terrible consequences for trying to reject their approaches. She also claimed that the building’s lone security guard failed to save her.
The woman managed to escape their chains the following morning by taking advantage of their unconsciousness, and she alerted the other employees who were in the building. The department head was informed right away, and Capital Police were subsequently informed to take over the investigation.
The inmates were later released because the woman did not submit a written complaint. A departmental action, however, was started against both of them. The accused clerk has been suspended by the department.
Recently, a theft from Nataala was reported, and now this case of alleged sexual assault. Health department officials announced that they would soon write to Commissionerate Police to request increased protection at the Nataala building in response to the escalating incidence of crimes.
Prasanta Patnaik