The Odisha Police have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly raping a minor girl in Kandhamal district, an official said on Tuesday.
The accused is a distant relative of the girl and an autorickshaw driver by profession, police said.
The incident happened on Sunday when the girl was returning home from a market in Daringbadi in the accused’s autorickshaw.
According to police, the girl, a student of class eight, had gone to the market to purchase materials for her dress.
The accused, a distant relative of the girl, stopped his autorickshaw in a solitary place, dragged her to a nearby bush and allegedly raped her.
When the girl raised the alarm and opposed the act, the accused threatened to kill her, the police officer said.
The girl’s father later lodged a complaint with the police and the accused was arrested on Monday, Mr Pradhan said.