Cuttack, June 18: Police today began investigation into the rape of a tribal woman on a moving bus in early morning yesterday.

Forensic experts also conducted a detailed examination of the bus and collected evidences today. The accused in the case, Sushant Hembrum, who was working as a helper in the bus and was arrested yesterday, was produced before the court after completion of medical examination in the afternoon today.

“We had initiated immediate action based on a complaint lodged by the victim,” said deputy commissioner of police S. Praveen Kumar.

The incident had occurred when the victim, who works as a domestic help at Jagatpur, was returning to Cuttack after attending Raja festival at her native place Behelda in Mayurbhanj district.

The victim was travelling alone in the sleeper coach of the night bus when the incident occurred around 3am.

Police sources said that the accused had allegedly gagged her and threatened to kill her if she raised an alarm. The victim was sleeping on the last seat while 40 other passengers were also there in the same vehicle. Women passengers are now demanding removal of black films from the glass of all buses to help put a check on such incidents. Senior police officers said that it had been decided in a meeting that buses would not be allowed to use black tinted glass or films.

However, over 70 per cent vehicles, including night buses, continue to violate such norms in the state.

“We condemn the incident and demand strict action against the accused,” said the general secretary of the All Odisha Bus Owners’ Association, Debendra Kumar Sahoo.

Sahoo added that the accused helper, a resident of Munda Sahi at Baramunda in Bhubaneswar, was allowed in the bus as the permanent helper was on leave. The association has every detail of all bus drivers and helpers and will extend full co-operation to the police to put a check on such acts, said Sahoo.

“Removing black tinted glasses and films from about 13,000 buses is a time-consuming process. About 30 per cent of the private buses have already removed black tinted glasses. We hope to ensure 100 per cent visibility in all buses by a year,” said Sahoo.