Odisha Crime Branch seeks TI parade, remand in Gopalpur gangrape case as probe intensifies
BERHAMPUR: Continuing its investigation into the Gopalpur beach gangrape case, the Crime Against Women and Children Wing (CAW & CW) of the Odisha Crime Branch on Thursday moved the Judicial Magistrate First Class (Rural) Court in Berhampur seeking permission to conduct test identification (TI) parade of the 10 accused and police remand of the six adult suspects.
Police said prime accused Pramod Nayak (23) of Hiundata village in Purushottampur, was jailed in two separate cases - attempt to murder and making bombs - a few years back. He was a BTech dropout and worked at an electronics factory in Bengaluru. He recently returned home on leave.
Pramod and other accused including four juveniles were arrested late in the night on June 15 (Sunday), a few hours after allegedly gang-raping the 20-year-old, a Plus Three student, at Gopalpur beach.
Medical examinations of the survivor and the accused were conducted at MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur on June 16. Blood and other samples were collected for DNA testing. On Tuesday, all the six adult accused were remanded to judicial custody while the four minors were presented before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB).
Professor Sudipta Das of MKCGMCH said the test results had not arrived till late Thursday evening. She revealed that during the medical test, the rape survivor informed doctors that the accused had used condoms. This indicates that the perpetrators not only came prepared to commit the crime but also took measures to destroy evidence. Habitual offenders resort to such methods, she added.
An eight-member team of the CAW & CW led by IG S Shyni reached Berhampur on Wednesday to take charge of the probe. The team visited the crime scene and recorded statements of the survivor and her male friend, who had accompanied her to the beach. Sand samples, cigarette stubs, and other materials from the crime scene were also seized.
The incident was tagged as a Red Flag case. As per norms, forensic evidence in Red Flag cases are prioritised for examination at forensic laborotaries. (SFSL) at Bhubaneswar, confirmed FMT Professor Sudipta Das of MKCGMCH.
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