In a horrific incident in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district, two brothers allegedly gang-raped a 15-year-old girl over an extended period and then tried to bury her alive after discovering she was five months pregnant. The accused, identified as Bhagyadhar Das and Panchanan Das, were arrested, while a third suspect, Tulu, remains at large. Police reports state that the accused, who worked at a nearby mutt, lured the survivor under the pretext of arranging an abortion before threatening to bury her in a pre-dug ditch.

The survivor managed to escape and informed her father, leading to a formal complaint at Kujang Police Station. A medical examination confirmed the assault, and the two arrested accused have been presented in court. This incident marks the second reported rape case in Jagatsinghpur this week, following another case where a minor was kidnapped and raped while returning from a birthday party.

The state has seen a disturbing surge in sexual violence, with at least 12 rape cases reported in the past month. In a separate incident in Malkangiri, a minor was kidnapped and gang-raped by three men before being assaulted again by a truck driver while fleeing. Earlier this month, a 20-year-old college student in Balasore died by suicide after her sexual harassment complaint was allegedly dismissed.

In another shocking case, a 15-year-old girl in Puri’s Nimapada block was set on fire by unidentified attackers and later airlifted to AIIMS Delhi for treatment. The repeated incidents have raised serious concerns over women’s safety in Odisha, prompting calls for stricter enforcement of laws and faster justice for survivors. Authorities continue investigations while activists demand urgent action to curb such crimes.