Chandbali (Bhadrak): The body of a 10-year-old minor girl was recovered from a dense forest near the Baligaon Panchayat Office under Chandbali Police Station limits in Bhadrak district on Tuesday evening, triggering widespread outrage and protests in the area.
According to preliminary information, the minor a resident of Chandbali NAC, had left home to attend a nearby village school after 10 am. When she failed to reach the school and did not return home, her family members grew anxious and lodged a missing complaint at Chandbali Police Station.
Following the complaint, family members and local villagers launched a search operation throughout the day. In the evening, the girl’s body was found lying in an abandoned condition in a forested area close to the Baligaon Panchayat Office. The family has alleged that the minor was abducted on her way to school, raped, and subsequently murdered.
The incident sparked strong public anger, with locals staging a road blockade at Baligaon Chhak by burning tyres and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and strict punishment. Vehicular movement on the stretch was disrupted for some time due to the protest.
Chandbali police rushed to the spot, recovered the body, and initiated an investigation. A forensic examination and post-mortem are expected to ascertain the exact cause of death, while police said all angles, including abduction and sexual assault, are being probed.
Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.
