Prime accused in 17-year-old’s gang-rape case arrested

Bhubaneswar: A week after a 17-year-old college student was allegedly gang-raped on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, city police on Thursday arrested the prime accused, Satya Prakash Hati alias Happy, and conducted a reconstruction of the crime scene.

Police said Hati, a history-sheeter with 18 prior cases against him, was absconding since the incident on Dec 10.According to the complaint, the survivor and her male friend were conversing in an isolated stretch when five men attacked. The boy was assaulted and held hostage while three of the accused took turns raping the girl in front of him. She lodged a complaint the day after, leading to the arrest of Kalandi Patra and Bibhu Mishra on Dec 15.“We have so far arrested three men and are searching for two others. A test identification parade will be conducted soon. Hati is a habitual offender, previously arrested multiple times for dacoity, hooliganism, and extortion. He assaulted a police officer in Bhubaneswar in 2023,” a senior police officer said.Following Hati’s arrest, police recreated the crime scene to verify the survivor’s account and establish the sequence of events.

Heavy security was deployed during the exercise. Officials said the reconstruction is a critical step in piecing together the roles of each accused and gathering corroborative evidence.Police described Hati as the mastermind of the crime, which has been categorised as a ‘red flag’ case by Odisha police, ensuring direct supervision by the crime branch.Investigations revealed that Hati and the other four accused attended a feast in Laxmisagar before heading to Dhauli on Dec 10. Intoxicated, they allegedly committed the offence near a riverbank, torturing the victims for nearly three hours, robbing their jewellery, and filming the assault on her. Police have seized mobile phones of the arrested accused.