Balasore, Dec. 19: A 45-year-old man was arrested today for kidnapping and raping a 15-year-old girl.

The accused, Sankar Das, of Edtal village under Basudevpur police station in Bhadrak, had been on a run for the past 10 days. Villagers caught him on Thursday and handed him over to the police.

It is alleged that the accused kidnapped the girl from Abajana village under Simulia block on November 27 and held her captive. He also sexually assaulted her during this time. Police sources said the accused and the girl's family were known to each other. In fact, Shankar Das wanted the girl to get married to his son. But her family turned down the proposal as she was a minor. However, even after that the accused used to visit their house. The girl used to address him as father.

On November 27, he had gone to their house when her family members were not at home. On some pretext, he took the girl along with him on his two-wheeler to Basudevpur and confined her in his house. It is alleged that the accused sexually assaulted her despite protests from his wife, police sources said.

After many failed attempts to find her, on December 7, the girl's parents visited Das's house in Basudevpur and rescued her. They then lodged a compliant with the Simulia police.

Investigating officer of the case, K Mohapatra said: 'The medical examination of the victim has been carried out. After the accused undergoes the same, we will forward him to court.'