Bhubaneswar, April 23: A 36-year-old woman was allegedly raped and dumped in a 20-metre deep abandoned well with her hands and feet tied at Nirakarpur of Khurda district, 55km from here.

On hearing her cries for help, residents rescued her from the well early this morning. The victim, who works as a cook in a school, alleged that a 22-year-old youth in her locality called her from her house yesterday saying that a woman teacher of the school had wanted to meet her. The teacher concerned is staying in the house of the youth.

"I went with him around 3pm yesterday, and he took me to his house. Once we reached his house, he locked the door and raped me," she said.

The victim also alleged that the youth threatened her with dire consequence if she disclosed anything to anyone. "Later, he assaulted me physically and tied my hands and legs with a rope. Then he packed me inside a sack and dumped in the well," she said.

The matter came to light after a group of youth had noticed the woman wrapped in a plastic sack in the well. The victim escaped death as the well's water level was less.

Initially, the youths thought her dead. Later, on hearing her cries for help, they rescued the woman.

Sources said the victim's husband was a daily wager and the couple had a six-year-old daughter.

"She had several external injury marks, and we immediately rushed her to the nearest hospital. The police should investigate the matter thoroughly," demanded local sarpanch Sagar Baliarsingh. Khurda police chief Dilip Das said the case was being probed. "We have registered a case in this connection and are trying to nab the accused," said Das.