Bhubaneswar: Two minor girls were allegedly gang-raped under the Golanthara police station limits in Ganjam district.
The matter came to the fore after the families of the victims had filed a complaint with the police, prompting an intensive manhunt to apprehend the accused.
According to sources, the two girls had attended a marriage function on June 3 but went missing soon after. Their family members launched a frantic search for them and came to know that two youths present at the event had allegedly lured the girls away from the venue.
The girls somehow managed to return to their families and recounted their harrowing ordeal.
According to sources, the four youths allegedly took them to an undisclosed location and held them captive. There, the girls were reportedly sexually assaulted before being abandoned in a secluded area.
Following discussions with local villagers, the families lodged a formal complaint against the four accused on the evening of June 4.
The victims are scheduled for medical examinations on Friday to gather evidence.
The Ganjam Superintendent of Police has assured swift and strict action against the perpetrators. Police have launched a search operation to apprehend the accused, and their statements will be recorded once they are in custody.
