Odisha police have arrested five men in connection with the alleged gang rape of two tribal women in a forest area of Sundargarh district. The incident occurred on Monday night around 10 pm in a remote stretch near Sundargarh town, sparking outrage among local communities and prompting the state government to order a swift investigation.
According to the police complaint, both women were returning home on a motorbike after attending a cultural programme organized as part of the Karma Puja festival, a widely celebrated harvest tradition among tribal communities across the region. As they travelled through a sparsely populated area, five young men flagged them down and offered a ride, telling them they could be dropped at their village. The women accepted the lift, believing the strangers would help them. Instead, the accused allegedly drove them into a nearby forest, where they assaulted both women one after another.
The victims managed to reach their village and immediately filed a complaint with local police. Authorities launched a search operation soon after and apprehended all five accused persons. They have been taken into custody and are being questioned by a team of officers. The district administration has confirmed that the case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as the victims belong to a Scheduled Tribe community.
Local residents and tribal rights activists have condemned the crime, describing it as a deeply disturbing attack on vulnerable women in rural areas. Several community groups have demanded stricter policing along forest edges and improved safety measures for women travelling after dark. Social media users across Odisha have also expressed anger, calling for prompt justice and an end to violence against women in the region.
Police have not yet released the identities of the accused or details about their backgrounds. The two victims have been provided medical and psychological support, and forensic teams are collecting evidence from the crime scene.
