Odisha horror: 5 teens ‘sodomise’, kill 12-year-old; dump body in septic tank

BHUBANESWAR: A day after taking five juveniles into custody for allegedly sexually abusing and killing a 12-year-old boy in Nayagarh recently, police on Sunday revealed that he had survived another attempt on his life in Aug.

"We have sent the five children in conflict with law (CCL) to a juvenile detention centre. During investigation, we found that they had attempted to kill the boy on Aug 31. Fortunately, he survived then," Nayagarh additional SP, Subash Chandra Panda, told TOI. The boy, student of a madrassa, was reported missing on Sept 2, and his body was found in an abandoned septic tank nearby the following day. Police said they found strong evidence against the five CCL, aged between 13 and 15, who study in the same madrassa. "Two of them forced the boy to indulge in unnatural sex with them. When he threatened to expose them, the five strangled him to death and dumped his body in the septic tank," Panda said. CCTV footage revealed the five students allegedly leading the boy to a secluded area, where they were last seen together. "During questioning, the detained CCL confessed to the crime. The main accused, a 15-year-old, had been coercing the victim into an unnatural relationship for several months.

The boy, fearing humiliation, did not report the abuse to the institute or police authorities or his family," the ASP said. "On Sept 2, two of the CCL sexually assaulted the boy. The two, accompanied by three others, later strangled the boy to death and disposed of his body in the tank after he threatened to report the abuse," Panda said, adding that the five juveniles behaved normally after the alleged crime, ostensibly to dodge police attention. The madrassa's authorities were unavailable for comment. Police said the institute, which currently has 16 students aged 12 to 15, along with 3 teaching staff and a cook, is cooperating with the investigation. The 12-year-old enrolled in the madrassa last year. "We have asked madrassas to ensure the safety and well-being of all students. The boy's family will be provided support as per law," another police officer said.