SAMBALPUR: Police on Thursday arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly attacking a girl student of Sambalpur University, who was found with severe head injuries in a field near Metakani temple in Burla.
The accused is Rakesh Das, a native of Kolkata who is staying at Burla. He was arrested on charges of assaulting Sonalika Naik, a PG final-year student of Library Sciences department at Sambalpur University.
Police said Naik used to chat with the accused on phone for the last around two months. On Wednesday evening, Das called her to meet him at a field near Metakani temple. Accordingly, the girl reached the field and waited for the accused.
When Das arrived on the spot, he found Naik talking to someone over phone. Suspecting her of talking to some boy, he confronted the girl and asked her to disconnect the call immediately. When Naik refused, the accused flew into a rage, picked up a stone and hit her on the head multiple times before fleeing the spot.
The student suffered grievous head injuries and became unconscious. Later, passersby found the girl lying in a pool of blood and informed police. Naik was then rushed to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR), Burla for treatment.
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo said on basis of the complaint lodged by the student’s father, police launched an investigation into the incident. After examining the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area, the accused was detained. During questioning, Das confessed to his crime following which he was arrested.
“Das is the lone accused involved in the incident and he committed the crime out of sudden provocation. The stone used in the assault has been seized,” said Bhamoo.
The accused was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Mobile phones of both the accused and the victim besides their earphones have also been seized. Further investigation is underway, said police. Sources said Naik has been shifted to Bhubaneswar and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the state capital. Police are yet to record her statement.
