Sundargarh Gang rape victim’s condition critical after sedation

Sundargarh: A gang rape survivor living in a child care institution in Sundargarh district is in critical condition after she reportedly consumed an overdose of sleeping pills. District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Sribanta Jena said she is undergoing treatment in the ICU of a private hospital in Sambalpur.

The survivor, a resident of the Birmitrapur police limits, was a minor when she was gang-raped in 2020 and has been living in a shelter home since then. At the time, she accused her then-male friend, stepfather, and the then-IIC of the Birmitrapur PS. However, only the IIC was booked. The DGP later suspended the officer and later dismissed him from his job.

The survivor, now an adult, has reportedly expressed no desire to stay in the shelter home. Sources said her mother has also refused to take her back home. On the advice of a doctor, the survivor had been taking a sleeping pill every night. However, she allegedly consumed approximately 25 pills at once, causing her to become seriously ill around 8 pm on Thursday. She has been admitted to a private hospital in Sambalpur and is in ICU care. The gang rape case is currently being investigated by the Crime Branch. Two days ago, CBI officials arrested the victim’s stepfather and his friend and sent them to judicial custody.

This development is being seen as a significant turning point in this high-profile case.