Bhubaneswar/Berhampur, June 17, 2025: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of the shocking gang-rape of a 20-year-old student at Gopalpur beach in Ganjam district and directed the DGP YB Khurania to submit an action-taken report within three days.
“Honb’le Chairperson Smt. Vijay Rahatkar has written to the DGP, Odisha directing immediate arrest of all remaining accused, a swift and time-bound investigation, and provision of free medical and psychological support to the victim. Compensation must be ensured under Section 396 of the BNSS Act,” read a NCW communiqué.
“An action taken report has been demanded within three days,” it stated.
Notably, in a shocking incident, a 20-year-old student of Gopalpur college was brutally gangraped by three youths at Gopalpur beach in front of her male friend who was allegedly held captive by seven other associates of the prime accused on Sunday evening.
The youths took advantage of the isolated area behind the Panthanivas located under Gopalpur police limits to commit the crime. The sexual assault continued for over two hours as the three took turns to rape the girl, a Plus Three student.
The rape survivor went to Gopalpur police station at about 11 PM to lodge a complaint. Police acted swiftly and detained eight accused within hours of the incident which has sent shockwaves in the State. All the suspects are in the age group of 19 to 23 and belong to Hinjili.
Meanwhile, police arrested six adults and produced four juveniles before the Juvenile Justice Board.
According to police, on 15 June 2025, a 20 year-old-gir studying +3 in a Berhampur college and her Male friend visited Gopalpur. Around 6.30 PM they reached an isolated area behind the Pantnivas hotel.
“They saw a group of youngsters sitting around 50 metre from their place. Around 8 PM the group of youngsters numbering 10, came behind the couple and overpowered the male friend and took the woman around 50 feet away. Five of the accused persons caught the male friend while another five youngsters overpowered the girl. Three persons raped the girl while others kept the male friend and woman under watch. Around 10 PM they left the male friend and woman after threatening them that if they report to Police they will face dire consequences,” said Berhampur SP Dr. Saravana Vivek M.
After the incident around 11 PM, the survivor and her male friend reached Gopalpur police station and narrated the incident.
Gopalpur police immediately formed a team and detained seven of the suspects initially and started interrogation. Later three teams were formed to identify and detain the rest of the suspects.
During investigation it was found that one Pramod Nayak (23) who hails from Hiundata village under Purushottampur police station currently working in Bangalore in an electronics factory had returned home on leave. He called his friends from Borupada village under Hinjili Police station to go to Gopalpur. Bauram Dalei (19) and Lakman Pradhan (24), both cousins from Borupada village under Hinjili Police station came in two bikes to Sikiri village under Hinjili Police station area.
Om Pradhan (19), Deepak Tarai (19) and three juveniless aged 17 years belonging to Sikiri village also joined them. All eight persons travelled in three bikes and went to Pattapur village under Bellagam Police station. Kunal Pradhan (24) and another Juvenile aged 17 years of Partapur village joined them.
Altogether six adults and four juvenilles travelled to Gopalpur in three bikes and they reached Gopalpur at 3.30 PM. They bathed in the sea and later came to the isolated spot around 6 PM, the same spot where the couple came around 6.30 PM.
At around 8 PM, the incident happened where three of the accused persons raped the woman and rest accused persons assaulted and kept the couple under captive.
Following the FIR, medical examination of the survivor has been conducted. Both the woman and the boyfriend’s statement have been recorded.
Scientific team and senior officers visited the spot and collected the evidence.
Prayer will be made to the JJB to treat the juvenilles as adults for the purpose of trial as the case is of heinous offence, said the SP.