Odisha: Swift justice served in case of sexual assault on foreign tourist in a month

A court in Bhubaneswar sentenced a temple servitor to 18 months of rigorous imprisonment for sexual misconduct with a foreign tourist at Lingaraj temple. The incident occurred nearly a month ago on February 19, when the accused assaulted a 28-year-old woman from Sweden.

Kanan Mohapatra alias Kundu, a 22-year-old servitor, lured the victim under false pretenses to a small temple near the northern gate of the Lingaraj temple and sexually assaulted her. However, the victim managed to escape and reported the incident to the authorities at the temple.

The police filed a case immediately, leading to the arrest of the accused the next day. The trial commenced swiftly, with the judgement being delivered within a month of the incident, thanks to the cooperation between public prosecutors, police, and the court.

Bijan Bihari Kar, the Assistant Public Prosecutor, noted, “It will prove a deterrent for such miscreants trying to bring disrepute to the state.” The Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police, Prateek Singh, emphasized the city’s commitment to the safety and justice for tourists, ensuring a swift resolution to the case.