Minor tribal girl found Pregnant in Hostel, rape accused cook absconding

Mangalore Today News Network

Bhubaneswar, Aug 29, 2019 : In the latest incident of sexual assault of tribal girls in educational institutions, a minor girl in Odisha, who was staying at a residential school, was found to be pregnant. According to official, the incident took place in Koraput district. The cook of the hostel has been absconding since then. As soon as the incident was reported, police rushed to the hostel to carry out an investigation. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the Police is hunting for the cook of the hostel after a minor inmate was found to be five-month pregnant. The report quotes Koraput district welfare officer Madhusmita Mahapatra saying that the Class 9 girl was repeatedly raped by the cook.

 

The official added saying that after the incident was reported, the school authorities left the girl at her home and didn’t lodge any police complaint. The report claimed that the cook was not seen in the hostel after May 15. The Police is currently on a search to nab the culprit. Mohapatra said a complaint would be lodged with the police.

Several such incidences have been reported in the past where tribal girls have been raped in school and college hostels. In July, a man was arrested by Bhubaneswar Police after a minor girl was found pregnant in a girl’s hostel run by the state’s ST & SC development, minorities and backward classes welfare department. The rise in the number of such cases has prompted the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights to write to the Odisha government to take strict steps. The Commission has also asked the state government to take steps to spread awareness on POCSO Act and sensitise children, parents and teachers.