KENDRAPARA: Five teachers of a private school were arrested on Saturday for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, police said.
The arrests were made after the father of the class 7 student and the district child welfare committee lodged separate complaints at the Rajkanika police station, alleging that the accused teachers had raped the minor, a senior officer said.
The parents of the student approached the district child welfare committee after their daughter accused the teachers of abusing her sexually for a long period, he said.
The committee initially investigated the allegation and brought the matter to the Rajkanika police station, an official said.
“A complaint was lodged on February 18. After a 48-hour-long investigation, we referred the case to the police for legal action," child welfare committee member Swagatika Patra said.
The panel also directed the district education officer to carry out a separate investigation into the allegation, she said.
"Based on the two complaints, the statement of the girl was recorded in accordance with legal provisions. The accused persons and the victim have undergone medical examinations. The accused teachers were arrested on the basis of the preliminary investigation. Further probe is underway," Rajkanika police station inspector-in-charge Sanjay Mallick said.
Opposition BJD submitted a memorandum to the Kendrapara SP and demanded stringent punishment of the culprits.