Odisha Chhatra Cong chief arrested on rape charges, likely to be produced in court today

Bhubaneswar, July 21 (IANS) In a shocking development, the Commissionerate Police have arrested Udit Pradhan, the president of Odisha Chhatra Congress (National Students Union of India), on charges of sexually abusing a female student.

Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, a case (419/25) was registered at the Mancheswar Police Station in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

As per the complainant, the accused Pradhan took her to a hotel along with her friends on the pretext of going on an outing. The accused allegedly intoxicated the victim by mixing a substance in her drink before committing the assault in the hotel.

The incident occurred on March 25. Despite the delay in reporting the crime, the police acted quickly on the complaint.

The police have taken Pradhan into custody, and an investigation is underway to ascertain the details of the incident.

Authorities have confirmed that a formal complaint has been lodged, and the case is being treated with utmost seriousness.

"There has been an allegation by a girl student about giving an intoxicated substance in a drink and then of rape in a hotel against one Udit Pradhan. On the basis of the report submitted by the victim, FIR has been registered at the Mancheswar police station, and the accused Udit Pradhan has been arrested," informed a senior police official.

Pradhan is likely to be produced in the court during the day, said officials.

This incident has sparked widespread concern amid the ongoing row over rising cases of atrocities against women in the state.

It came as a shock for the opposition Congress, which has been targeting the state government over its alleged failure to contain women atrocity cases in Odisha.

In the wake of the shameful gang-rape of a college student at Gopalpur beach in Ganjam district, the self-immolation of the Fakir Mohan College student in Balasore and the recent attempt by some miscreants to kill a 15-year-old girl in Balanga area of Puri, the issue of violence against women has taken the centre stage in Odisha for the past few months.

--IANS

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