Prime Accused In Dhauli Gang-Rape Case Arrested After Days Of Chase In Odisha
Search operations have been intensified to trace and apprehend other two accused
Bhubaneswar : The Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Commissionerate Police on Thursday arrested the prime accused, Satyaprakash Hati alias “Joker Happy,” in connection with the gang rape of a minor girl on the banks of the Daya River in the Dhauli area of Bhubaneswar. The arrest followed days of sustained tracking as the accused had been absconding since the crime.
Police officials said Hati was apprehended after intensive surveillance and coordinated search operations across multiple locations. According to police sources, the alleged crime was committed shortly after the accused was released from jail in an earlier case, prompting investigators to examine his criminal antecedents and background as part of the ongoing probe.
While the arrest of the prime accused marks a major breakthrough, police confirmed that two of his associates allegedly involved in the incident are still on the run. Search operations have been intensified to trace and apprehend them at the earliest.
Earlier, the Commissionerate Police had arrested two other accused in connection with the case. Both were produced before a court on Wednesday following their arrest. With Hati now in custody, police said the investigation has entered a crucial phase, particularly in reconstructing the sequence of events and establishing the specific role played by each accused.
The incident reportedly took place on December 10 near the Dhauli Shanti Stupa area under the jurisdiction of Dhauli police station.
According to police, the minor girl and her male friend were intercepted by three accused while standing along a roadside near the Daya River. The male companion was allegedly assaulted and left bleeding, after which both victims were forcibly taken into a forested stretch along the riverbank. Police sources stated that the accused allegedly committed gang rape on the minor girl before fleeing the spot.
Investigators are also probing allegations that the incident was recorded on a mobile phone and that cash and a gold chain were looted from the victims.
