Kendrapara (Odisha), February 21 Five teachers from a private school were arrested on Saturday for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Kendrapara district, according to police.
The arrests were made after the father of the class 7 student and the district child welfare committee filed separate complaints at the Rajkanika police station, alleging that the accused teachers had sexually assaulted the minor, a senior officer said.
The parents approached the district child welfare committee after their daughter accused the teachers of sexually abusing her for a prolonged period, he said.
The committee initially investigated the allegation and brought the matter to the Rajkanika police station, an official said.
"A complaint was lodged on February 18. After a 48-hour investigation, we referred the case to the police for legal action," said Swagatika Patra, a member of the child welfare committee.
The panel also directed the district education officer to conduct a separate investigation into the allegation, she said.
"Based on the two complaints, the statement of the girl was recorded in accordance with legal provisions. The accused persons and the victim have undergone medical examinations. The accused teachers were arrested based on the preliminary investigation. Further investigation is underway," said Rajkanika police station inspector-in-charge Sanjay Mallick.
The opposition BJD submitted a memorandum to the Kendrapara SP and demanded strict punishment for the culprits.