Woman raped by tantrik for 79 days in Odisha, rescued

BALASORE: A middle-aged married woman was allegedly raped repeatedly by a 'tantrik' for 79 days in front of her two-and-half-year-old son in Odisha's Balasore district, police said on Saturday.

Police rescued the woman and her child from a locked room on Friday but the accused managed to escape and a manhunt has been launched to nab him.

In her police complaint, the survivor alleged that her husband and in-laws had forced her to stay with the tantrik to resolve a marital discord between the woman and her in-laws.

The woman, who got married in 2017, claimed she had to undergo physical and mental torture by her in-laws for dowry.

The tantrik had assured the family that he would resolve the discord if the woman stays with her for a few months. When she refused to oblige, her mother-in-law allegedly sedated her and she later regained consciousness in the tantrik's room and found her son also in it.

The tantrik repeatedly raped the woman for 79 days in the room in front of her son.

The accused arranged food for the mother and child. On April 28, she found that the tantrik had left his mobile phone in the room, and used it to call up her parents and narrate her ordeal. They, in turn, informed the police.

But by the time the police reached the place, the tantrik had managed to escape. A case under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376 (rape), has been registered against the accused.

The woman has named her husband, his brother and other in-laws in the FIR. However, no arrests have been made so far. She has been admitted to a hospital, and her condition is stated to be stable.