Keonjhar: Two fresh cases of sexual abuse of minors have come to light on the coastal belt of the state.

A minor girl was allegedly raped in Keonjhar district, while a septuagenarian allegedly molested a girl in Kendrapara district.

A 25-year-old man allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl at a village in Turumunga police station area of Keonjhar district on May 22. But, the girl's mother mustered the courage to lodge a police complaint only on Saturday. The police swung into action getting the complaint and arrested the culprit, Kulu Munda, on Sunday.

"The girl had gone to accused's house to recharge her cell phone battery when Munda allegedly raped her. Her family members were not in village at the time. The girl informed her parents of the incident as soon as they came back home," said assistant sub-inspector of police Sushila Barla.

Munda has been booked under sections 376 (rape), 354 (molestation), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and sections- 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. He was later remanded in judicial custody.

In the other case, a 78-year-old man allegedly molested a 14-year-old girl at a village in Pattamundai police station area. The incident had occurred on May 20.

"We arrested the old man on Sunday after veracity of the FIR lodged in this connection was established," said inspector of Pattamundai police station Pramod Kumar Mallick.

The accused, Bishnu Das, had called the girl to his house, where he molested her.