Odisha: Death of 3 girls by burn injuries from July 12 triggers political storm
Opposition in Odisha is demanding justice for death of a 15-year-old girl in Puri and two other college students of burn injuries and rising crime against women
The death of three girls by burn injuries in Odisha, including the self-immolation of a 20-year-old college girl, who was allegedly sexually harassed by a professor in her college in Balasore, has triggered a political storm in the state.
Normal life was partially hit in Odisha's Puri district on Thursday (August 7), after the Opposition BJD called for a six-hour bandh demanding justice and urging people to raise their voices against "rising crime against women" in the state.
The agitation was organised by the BJD over the death of a 15-year-old girl who died of burn injuries in Balanga area on August 2, which followed in the wake of the college girl's self-immolation alleging sexual harassment by her college professor.
Also read: Teenage girl set ablaze in Puri; condition critical
The agitators, who blocked roads and burned tyres, raised questions over the police investigation in the case and called upon people to raise their voices against "rising crime against women" in the state.
'Set on fire', alleges mother
The girl's mother had alleged that three unidentified persons set her on fire on the banks of Bhargavi River near her house on July 19. She succumbed to her injuries on August 2 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Delhi.
Odisha Police, however, claimed no one else was involved in the incident. But the Opposition BJD and Congress have raised questions over the police's claim.
The victim's father has also said that his daughter ended her life due to mental distress.
Shielding culprits
However, the BJD leaders alleged that the police were trying to shield the culprits.
Also read: Set ablaze, Odisha girl fights for life; curbs at AIIMS Bhubaneswar amid political spat
"The girl's mother, in the FIR lodged by her at Balanga police station on July 19, alleged that three people set her daughter on fire to kill her. But later, her father claimed that the girl ended her life. This is contradictory, and it seems that the family changed its version after being pressurised to do so," BJD Puri district president Umakanta Samantray alleged.
Police accountability
Meanwhile, a 19-year-old college student died by self-immolation at her house in Kendrapara district on August 6, with her father claiming that had the police lodged the FIR when he approached the law enforcers six months ago, his daughter would not have taken the extreme step.
After the father's allegations, the Odisha Police on Thursday transferred an ASI to ensure a transparent probe.
According to the father, the officer had earlier refused to lodge an FIR about the deceased's ex-boyfriend threatening her of uploading her intimate photographs on social media.
Kendrapara Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kataria said Assistant Sub Inspector Sailendra Mohan Palei was transferred from Pattamundai (Rural) police station to the police district headquarters to ensure a transparent investigation into the allegation made by the victim’s father.
Stating that he himself is supervising the probe into the student's death, the SP said, "As per the preliminary investigation, it appears to be a suicide case. The body has been sent to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack for a proper inquest. The entire process would be videographed and the post-mortem examination will be carried out in the presence of a magistrate as per the law."
Also read: Balanga burn victim dies at AIIMS-Delhi, 'no other person involved in case', say police
The deceased's father on Wednesday said he had gone to Pattamundai (Rural) police station around six months ago to file a complaint over the ex-boyfriend's threats, but ASI Palei had instead asked him to block the mobile number of the harasser.
ASI Palei, has, however, denied the allegation.
"I did not receive any FIR, and the woman's father had never come to our police station. I never suggested anyone block any phone number," he claimed.
Unnatural death
SP Kataria, however, said the police were taking the father's allegation seriously and a proper investigation would be conducted.
Meanwhile, police have suo motu registered an unnatural death case at Pattamundai (Rural) police station as the family was yet to lodge any formal complaint.
"The family may file a fresh FIR after cremation rituals," a police officer said.
Third incident
Since July 12, this is the third incident of a woman dying of burn injuries in Odisha.
On July 12, a 20-year-old female student of FM College in Balasore immolated herself on the college campus and died two days later while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. This incident made headlines and shocked the country.
The student was protesting against alleged sexual harassment by a professor of the institute. The Crime Branch had taken up investigation into the case on July 16.
Political backlash
The self-immolation has led to a political backlash in the state, with the Opposition attacking the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for such recurring incidents.
Moreover, the Crime Branch IG, heading the probe into self-immolation of college student, too has gone on leave.
The IG of Odisha Police Crime Branch, S Shyni, who was heading the probe into the death of the college student due to self-immolation in Balasore, has gone on leave till August 15, officials said on Wednesday.
Shyni, the chief of the Crime Against Women and Children Wing (CAWCW), went on leave from Tuesday, a day after the arrest of two ABVP leaders on charge of abetment of suicide of the student.
Crime Branch SP Anirudha Routray has been asked to head the investigation in the absence of Shyni.
“IGP Shyni has gone on leave on personal work. Routray will supervise the Balasore student’s self-immolation death case,” Vinaytosh Mishra, DG, Crime Branch, told PTI.
“Her going on leave has nothing to do with the arrest of the two student leaders,” Mishra added.
So far, four persons - two Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leaders, the accused professor who the victim said had sexually harassed her and a former principal of the college - have been arrested in the case.
Bandh
The BJD bandh on August 7 was observed from 6 am to noon, Puri MLA Sunil Mohanty said.
Holding placards, banners and blowing conch shells (BJD's party symbol), the bandh supporters urged shopkeepers to down the shutters of their business establishments as a symbolic protest.
"We organised the bandh not to cause inconvenience to people but raise awareness as 15 women and girls are being raped in Odisha every day and the BJP government is still in slumber," alleged Mohanty.
The BJD announced that it would intensify the agitation, highlighting crimes against women, across the state.