Aspiring actress allegedly gang-raped in Odisha; two arrested

An aspiring actress (30) was allegedly gang-raped and extorted by two staff members of a Yatra troupe in Odisha’s Kendrapara district after they allegedly lured her with the promise of a lead role in the traditional open-air theatre, police said.

The accused, identified as Bulu Panda and Jyoti Panda, were arrested following a complaint lodged by the 30-year-old woman at Pattamundai Model Police Station. They were produced before a local court on Saturday and remanded in judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected.

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According to police, the woman alleged that the accused contacted her with an offer to cast her as a heroine in a Yatra troupe and subsequently took her to a hotel in Kendrapara. There, they allegedly served her a soft drink laced with an intoxicating substance. After she lost consciousness, the duo allegedly sexually assaulted her and recorded objectionable photographs and videos.

Police said the accused later used the explicit content to blackmail the victim, threatening to make the material public if she disclosed the incident. They allegedly continued to intimidate and harass her, compelling her to comply with their demands whenever summoned.

The complainant further alleged that the accused extracted Rs 2.8 lakh from her on the pretext of securing a lead role in the troupe. She was reportedly assured that a formal contract would be signed and was even introduced to the troupe’s employer as part of the alleged deception.

Investigators said the harassment continued through repeated video calls, during which the victim was allegedly coerced into compromising acts under threats that the recorded videos would be circulated on social media and other platforms.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case and launched an investigation. Further inquiry into the allegations is underway.