Bhubaneswar, Nov 19: The nun who was allegedly raped
during communal violence in Kandhamal has told the Crime
Branch of Orissa police that after the sexual assault, she was
saved by a local Hindu man from being gang raped, police said
on Wednesday.
During her examination by the Crime Branch team in New
Delhi, the 29-year-old nun said that she was raped at K
Nuagaon in Baliguda during Orissa bandh on August 25, the
sources said.
Though two others also molested and attempted to rape
her immediately after the incident, a local Hindu man came to
her rescue and saved her from being gang raped, the nun
was quoted to have said in her statement before the Crime
Branch team.
Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch) Arun Ray
confirmed that both the nun and Father Thomas Chelan, only
witness to the incident, were examined between 5 pm and 7.30
pm. According to sources, the nun was confident that she
would be able to identify the accused, with whom she had a
scuffle.
However, the alleged victim was worried that she might
not be able to identify the two others who had also attempted
to rape her as she was in a semi-conscious state after being
raped, they said.
Expressing her unwillingness to go to Kandhamal again,
she urged the Crime Branch team to organise the Test
Identification Parade (TIP) of accused persons anywhere in
Orissa except Kandhamal, sources said.
Narrating her experience, the nun said that the rape was
committed near a stair case of a building, the sources said.
After the incident, she was shocked and completely
speechless as her only help Father Chelan was assaulted by the
mob, they said.
The examination of the nun and Father Chelan was held
nearly three months after the incident as both of them were
unwilling to cooperate with the probe saying they had no faith
in Orissa police.
However, after the Supreme Court rejected a plea for
handing over the case to the CBI and asked the nun to assist
the investigation, they agreed to cooperate.
Ten persons have been arrested in connection with the
incident and the state government has suspended six police
personnel on charges of dereliction of duty on the basis of
the allegation made by the nun.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 00:00