Crime News / Nayapally Rape Case: Accused Sridhar Panda Arrested After Discharge From Hospital, Two Aides Held

Bhubaneswar, Oct 4: Police have arrested Sridhar Panda alias Santosh, the accused in the Nayapally rape case, after he was discharged from hospital following a police encounter in Chandaka.

Panda was brought to the police station after his discharge and is scheduled to be produced before a magistrate on Sunday.

Meanwhile, police arrested two people for allegedly helping the accused after the incident. Among those arrested are a garage owner and an employee who allegedly purchased the stolen motorcycle used by Panda to flee after the alleged crime.

According to police, the stolen motorcycle was dismantled into parts and sold to a garage in the Mancheswar area for Rs 30,000. Police have seized the dismantled motorcycle and arrested the garage owner and his employee in connection with the case.

Accused Changed 18 Vehicles In 50 Hours
Police investigation has reportedly traced an elaborate movement by Panda following the alleged rape.

CCTV footage showed the accused wearing black shorts and a light-blue T-shirt. After allegedly leaving the survivor’s apartment, he reportedly travelled on foot before taking an Ama Bus to CRPF Square. He then travelled by auto-rickshaw and allegedly stole a motorcycle before heading to his rented accommodation in Chakesiani.

Police said he later travelled through different locations, including Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Paradip and Kataka, before returning towards Bhubaneswar.

Police reportedly examined around 300 CCTV cameras and deployed nearly 100 police personnel to trace him. After identifying the accused, police tracked his mobile phone and eventually traced him to Chandaka.

Police Encounter In Chandaka
Panda was shot in the right leg during an encounter with police in Chandaka on Saturday.

According to police, he allegedly attacked a Sub-Inspector with a screwdriver while officers were attempting to apprehend him. Police said they fired two rounds in self-defence, with one bullet hitting Panda in the right leg.

He was subsequently admitted to hospital for treatment and was later discharged.

A fake gun reportedly designed as a lighter and the motorcycle were recovered during the operation.

Police Say Accused Entered House To Steal
Police said Panda, a native of Jagannathprasad in Ganjam district who was residing in Mancheswar, allegedly entered the survivor’s rented apartment on September 30 with the intention of stealing.

According to the police account, he had conducted a recce of the area before entering the apartment. He allegedly threatened the 26-year-old woman with a fake gun, which was actually a lighter, before sexually assaulting her.

The woman had approached Nayapally police on October 1 and alleged that an unidentified man had entered her rented apartment the previous night and raped her at gunpoint.

Also Read: Nayapally Rape Case: Police Say Fake Gun Was Used to Threaten Woman

Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh had earlier said the accused was traced after an intensive operation.

“After 48 hours of intense operation, we were able to trace the accused. Within 12 hours of registering the case, we had the picture of the accused,” the Commissioner said.

The Commissioner said Panda had previous cases related to petty theft registered at Khandagiri and Tamando police stations in 2023.

“He went inside the victim's rented apartment to steal. He had already done the recce of the area. When he went inside, he terrorised the woman with a fake gun, mostly used as a lighter. Then, he raped her,” the Commissioner said.

On the encounter, he said, “When our team went to nab Santosh, he attempted to stab a Sub-Inspector. In self-defence, police shot him in the leg.”