On the run since 2019, man held for sexual assault

Bhubaneswar: A 36-year-old man, who was on the run after sexually assaulting one of his female colleagues at a hotel in Patia area of the City in 2019, has been arrested by the Mahila police, an official said Saturday.

The accused – Debabrata Mishra – has been taken into custody from the Niali area of Cuttack district Saturday, Mahila police inspector in charge (IIC) Bhagyashree Swain told the media.

About the case details, the Mahila IIC said Mishra, a native of Kendrapara district, and the woman came closer while working in a private firm in the Capital City in 2018.

“The duo had a visit to Puri October 10, 2018, when Mishra expressed his desire to marry her. The woman, however, declined it and started avoiding Mishra since then,” Swain said.

The duo later were on talking terms after Mishra apologised to her for his act, the IIC said.

“It was March 19, 2019 when Mishra invited the lady to a hotel in the Patia area where he sexually assaulted her and later fled the scene,” Swain said, adding that since then, he has been on the run, fearing arrest.

Soon, the victim approached the police which registered a case under Sections 376 (2), 294, 354 (a) and 506 of the IPC and launched a manhunt.

About the crackdown, the Mahila police IIC said, “Based on intelligence inputs that Mishra was in Niali area, we raided the locality and managed to nab him.” The accused was produced before a local court here that sent him on remand.

PNN

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