In a horrifying incident on Sunday evening at Gopalpur beach in Odisha’s Ganjam district, a 20-year-old college student was allegedly gang-raped by a group of 10 men while her male friend was forcibly tied up and held hostage nearby.

Police report that the couple had ventured to a secluded part of the beach around 6:30 pm when the assailants, reportedly local dropouts aged between 19 and 23, surrounded the pair. While a few overpowered the male friend, others abducted and assaulted the woman in an abandoned area behind a nearby hotel for over two hours .

By Monday morning, authorities had detained seven suspects and launched a manhunt for the remaining three. Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek confirmed that the survivor is receiving medical attention and a special investigation team has been formed to expedite the probe . Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister expressed shock, urging swift justice and strengthened safety measures for public spaces .