POCSO accused arrested in Odisha after 7 months on run in North 24 Parganas case
Synopsis
A West Bengal man accused of abducting and repeatedly assaulting his minor stepdaughter evaded police for nearly seven months by hiding in Odisha under a false identity — until mobile tower data and intelligence inputs led a special Haroa Police team directly to him. The minor was rescued in the same operation.
Key Takeaways
Haroa Police arrested the POCSO accused from Odisha on 26 September 2026 , nearly seven months after the complaint was filed.
The accused allegedly lured his minor stepdaughter away without her mother's knowledge and subjected her to repeated sexual assault and physical torture.
He had been hiding in Odisha under a concealed identity ; he was traced through mobile tower locations and intelligence inputs.
The minor was rescued simultaneously during the arrest operation and has undergone a medical examination.
The accused was produced before Basirhat Sub-Divisional Court and remanded to police custody .
A case was registered under multiple non-bailable sections including the POCSO Act, 2012 ; investigation is ongoing to determine if others were involved.
A man accused of abducting and repeatedly sexually assaulting his minor stepdaughter was arrested from Odisha by Haroa Police of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Saturday, 26 September 2026, after evading law enforcement for nearly seven months. The minor victim was simultaneously rescued during the operation, according to a senior police officer.
Background: How the Crime Unfolded
According to investigators, the accused had married a woman from his neighbourhood and was residing with her and her minor daughter from a previous relationship. Without the mother's knowledge, he allegedly lured the girl away and fled the area with her.
The accused is alleged to have forcibly married the minor and subjected her to repeated sexual assault and physical torture during the period he remained on the run. The victim's mother subsequently filed a written complaint at Haroa Police Station, accusing her husband of kidnapping and raping her minor daughter.
How the Accused Was Traced
By the time the complaint was lodged, the accused had already left West Bengal and was reportedly hiding in Odisha under a concealed identity to evade arrest. Investigators launched a sustained search operation, tracking him through mobile tower location data and intelligence inputs.
A special police team was then deployed to conduct a raid in Odisha, which led to the accused's arrest and the minor's simultaneous rescue. Police said a case was registered immediately under several non-bailable sections, including provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Post-Arrest Procedures
The rescued minor has undergone a medical examination, and her confidential statement has been recorded in accordance with legal procedures, police confirmed. The accused was produced before the Basirhat Sub-Divisional Court on Saturday and remanded to police custody.
Notably, this case reflects a broader pattern of POCSO offenders crossing state lines to evade arrest — a challenge that investigators increasingly address through inter-state coordination and digital tracking methods.
Further Investigation
Investigators are continuing to probe whether any other individuals were involved in facilitating the accused's flight or concealment in Odisha. The case underscores the role of POCSO's stringent provisions in enabling swift registration and cross-state pursuit of accused persons in crimes against minors.
Point of View
The prolonged fugitive period raises questions about how quickly inter-state intelligence sharing was activated. POCSO's non-bailable provisions exist precisely to prevent this kind of protracted evasion. Cases where accused persons cross state borders and assume false identities are increasingly common, and they expose a structural gap: the absence of a fast-tracked national flagging mechanism for POCSO accused who go on the run. The rescue of the minor is a genuine operational success, but the months she spent in continued danger while the accused remained at large cannot be treated as a footnote.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested in this West Bengal POCSO case?
A man from West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district was arrested by Haroa Police from Odisha on 26 September 2026. He is accused of abducting and repeatedly sexually assaulting his minor stepdaughter after fleeing with her without her mother's knowledge.
How did police track the accused to Odisha?
Investigators used mobile tower location data and intelligence inputs to trace the accused, who had been hiding in Odisha under a concealed identity for nearly seven months. A special police team then conducted a raid and arrested him.
What happened to the minor victim?
The minor girl was rescued simultaneously during the arrest operation in Odisha. She has since undergone a medical examination and her confidential statement has been recorded as required under legal procedures.
Under what charges was the case registered?
A case was registered under multiple non-bailable sections, including provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The accused has been remanded to police custody by the Basirhat Sub-Divisional Court.
Is the investigation still ongoing?
Yes, investigators are continuing to probe whether any other individuals were involved in facilitating the accused's flight or concealment in Odisha. Further details are expected as the case progresses through the courts.
