26-year-old woman allegedly assaulted inside rented home; police say suspect had entered intending to steal and later tried to flee
GTNS | October 4, 2026
BHUBANESWAR: A disturbing sexual assault case in Bhubaneswar has taken a new turn after police traced and arrested a 24-year-old man allegedly involved in the assault of a 26-year-old woman at her rented accommodation in Nayapalli.
The incident was reported on the night of September 30, when the woman alleged that a masked man entered her ground-floor residence in the Gada Sahi area, threatened her with what she believed was a firearm and sexually assaulted her. Her elder sister, who normally stayed with her, was reportedly away at the time.
Police later identified the accused as Sreedhar Panda alias Santosh, a native of Jagannathprasad in Ganjam district. According to investigators, Panda allegedly entered the house after noticing that the door was not fully latched. Police said his initial intention was theft, but the situation escalated after the woman confronted him.
From the house to a city-wide trail
Investigators reconstructed the suspect’s movements after the alleged crime. Police said he left the area, boarded an Ama Bus, took an auto-rickshaw and subsequently stole a motorcycle from the Unit-I area while attempting to leave the city.
The investigation then widened across Bhubaneswar. Police teams examined hundreds of CCTV recordings and analysed technical information to track the suspect’s movements. The police commissionerate said the evidence eventually helped establish Panda’s alleged involvement and led officers to Chandaka.
Arrest turns into police firing
The arrest operation itself became another major development in the case.
Police intercepted Panda near the Bharatpur-Chandaka Road. According to the police version, he allegedly attacked a sub-inspector with a screwdriver while attempting to escape. The officer fired two rounds in self-defence, and Panda sustained a bullet injury to his leg before being overpowered.
He was subsequently taken to Capital Hospital, where his condition was reported to be stable.
Weapon mystery
The victim had initially described the object used to threaten her as a firearm. During the investigation, however, police recovered an object that they said was a pistol-shaped lighter, rather than an actual firearm. Investigators are treating the object as the alleged instrument used to intimidate the woman.
Previous criminal cases under scanner
Police said Panda had previously been arrested in property-related cases. Records cited by investigators indicate arrests in a mobile-phone theft case at Khandagiri police station and a house-breaking/theft case at Tamando police station in 2023.
The case had earlier triggered concern over women’s safety in the capital. The Odisha State Commission for Women had taken suo motu cognisance and sought a detailed report from the Bhubaneswar DCP within 15 days.
The latest arrest is being viewed as a significant breakthrough, but the investigation will now focus on establishing the complete sequence of events and collecting evidence required for prosecution.
The case also highlights how quickly a suspected property crime can escalate into a serious violent offence—and how CCTV networks and technical investigation can become critical in tracing offenders in an urban environment.