Bhubaneswar, Oct 2 (IANS): In a shocking incident, two robbers allegedly sexually abused a woman by holding her toddler hostage at knifepoint in Bhubaneswar.

As per the reports, the incident happened in an apartment in the Maitri Vihar area of the city during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday.

The victim works in a private company and stays on the first floor of the apartment with her two-year-old daughter.

Two looters allegedly entered the house at around 2 p.m. as the victim had forgotten to close the balcony door. The woman was in the bathroom when they entered the room.

The looters held both the woman and her daughter hostage immediately after she came out of the bathroom. Meanwhile, the victim pleaded with the looters to not harm her daughter.

The looters later searched for cash and gold ornaments in the room. They reportedly raped the woman before leaving with the gold ornaments.

Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, Maitri Vihar police has launched a probe after registering a case in this regard under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The woman also alleged in her complaint that the looters were speaking in Hindi, indicating that they could be from outside Odisha.

Meanwhile, the Commissionerate police sources said on Wednesday morning that the two accused persons have been detained in connection with the recent Maitri vihar case.

The incident raised a serious question over the ongoing night patrolling, blocking and checking drive carried out in the capital city by the city police.

It is pertinent to mention that the Bhubaneswar police have recently been in the line of fire over the alleged brutal assault on Army officer and sexual harassment of his fiancee at a police station in the city on September 15.