Bhubaneswar : The Nayapalli rape case has taken a dramatic turn after the Commissionerate Police arrested the accused, identified as Sridhara Panda from Ganjam, following an operation in the Chandaka area. According to police, Panda allegedly attempted to escape while officers were trying to apprehend him, following which police opened fire and he sustained a bullet injury to his leg. He was subsequently taken to Capital Hospital in an injured condition for treatment. The police action came after an intensive search for the accused in connection with the alleged rape of a young woman at her residence in Nayapalli, where the victim had reportedly been staying with her sister.

According to the complaint and preliminary information, the incident allegedly took place on Wednesday evening when the victim’s sister left the house for some work. The victim was reportedly inside the bedroom working on her laptop and had not locked the main door. Police said a masked man allegedly entered the house through the open door and, according to the complaint, threatened the woman at gunpoint before sexually assaulting her.

After the alleged crime, the accused reportedly locked the house from outside and left the area on foot. When the victim’s elder sister returned home, she allegedly found her sister in a distressed condition and subsequently approached Nayapalli Police Station to lodge a complaint.

Following the complaint, senior police officials, including the DCP and the Inspector-in-Charge, reportedly reached the spot and began an investigation. Investigators examined CCTV footage from the surrounding areas to trace the suspected movements of the accused.

According to the information gathered from the footage, the suspect allegedly walked away from the area and reached the National Highway, where he reportedly boarded a Mo Bus towards the CRP Square area. He allegedly got down at CRP Square and then travelled by an auto-rickshaw towards Power House Square.

Police further suspect that the accused subsequently stole a motorcycle from the area and used it to flee, making it difficult for investigators to immediately trace him. A search operation was launched across different locations, with police teams working to establish his movements and identify his whereabouts.

The accused was eventually traced to the Chandaka area, where police reportedly attempted to apprehend him. According to the police version, Panda allegedly tried to flee and attempted to attack or resist the police team during the operation. Police then fired at him, with the bullet reportedly hitting his leg. He was taken into custody and shifted to Capital Hospital for medical treatment.

The case has drawn significant attention in Bhubaneswar because of the allegation that the crime was committed inside a residence after the accused allegedly entered while the victim was alone. Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances of the alleged sexual assault, the accused’s movements after the incident and the reported theft of the motorcycle. Further details, including the findings of the investigation and medical examination, are awaited.