4 minors among 10 held

Two days after a college girl was gangraped on Gopalpur beach in front of her male friend who was assaulted and restrained, police arrested 10 persons including four minors in this connection Tuesday.

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The adult accused were identified as Pramod Kumar Nayak, 23, of Hundata village under Purushottampur police limits, Baburam Dalei, 23, Lakhsman Pradhan, 24, of Burupada village, Kunal Pradhan, 24, of Patapur village under Hinjili police limits, their associates Om Pradhan, 24, and Deepak Tarai, 19 of Sikiri village under Hinjili police limits .

Pramod, the prime accused, isa history-sheeter and carries cases of attempted murder and bomb-making in his name. He committed the crime when he had come home from Bangalore on holiday.

Four minor boys have also been detained by police in this connection. The accused were produced in the court and remanded to judicial custody while the minors produced before a Juvenile Justice Board. Three bikes and eight mobile phones were seized from their possession.

Three of the 10-member group raped the girl while the rest seven beat up the male friend of the survivor and held him hostage, police said. The survivor hailing from outside the district is a student of Plus III final year in a local college.

This was stated by Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M ata presser organised at Gopalpur police station Tuesday. The Juvenile Justice Board will be requested to treat the four minor accused as adults during the trial in view of the heinous crime, as they have attained the age of 17, the SP said.