Bhubaneswar, June 23 (UNI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report regarding the gang rape of a 20-year-old female college student by 10 men on the Gopalpur sea beach in Odisha’s Ganjam district on June 15.

The Commission has issued notices to the Odisha Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP), seeking a detailed report on the incident within two weeks.

According to the report, the victim had gone to the beach with a male friend to celebrate the Raja festival when the horrific incident occurred. The assailants allegedly overpowered her friend and sexually assaulted her.

The NHRC observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violations.

The Commission has asked for the status of the investigation, the condition of the victim, and any compensation or counselling provided to her by state authorities to be included in the report.

Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania has already ordered a Crime Branch probe into the case, which has been categorised as a "Red Flag" case.

Gopalpur Police have registered a case under Sections 71, 296, 351(3), and 310(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Although the initial investigation was conducted by the local police, the case has since been transferred to the Crime Against Women and Children Wing (CAW&CW) of the CID-Crime Branch, Odisha Police.

A team from the CAW&CW Wing has begun the investigation, which is being carried out under the direct supervision of IG Shyni S.

All ten accused have been arrested in connection with the case, including four minors.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik have strongly condemned the incident.

The Chief Minister has assured that exemplary action will be taken against all the accused and that the strictest possible punishment under the law will be imposed.

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