A 21-year-old woman was allegedly raped by her husband’s relative in Odisha’s Balasore district on Saturday evening, police reported on Sunday. The assault occurred in a village under Jaleswar police station limits while the victim’s husband was incapacitated by alcohol.

The woman, married for about six months, had accompanied her husband and the accused—a neighbor and relative—to the local market on a motorcycle to update her Aadhaar card. On their return, the husband and the accused consumed liquor, leaving the husband heavily intoxicated. Seizing the opportunity, the accused took the woman to an isolated spot, raped her, and fled. Local residents found her and rushed her to a hospital.

Jaleswar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Dilip Kumar Sahu confirmed that a case has been filed based on the victim’s complaint. “We are investigating the matter. The woman’s medical examination has already been conducted,” he said. The accused remains at large, with police actively pursuing his arrest.

Further details are awaited.