Bhubaneswar: The women's wing of opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday staged a demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan here in protest against the "sexual assault" on a woman in police custody. Congress activists, on the other hand, attempted to gherao the official residence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, demanding his resignation over the incident. Majhi also holds the home portfolio.
Holding placards and banners, hundreds of women members of the BJD staged a dharna outside the governor's house and raised slogans against the state's BJP government, which it accused of failing to protect the residents, particularly women. They demanded a court-monitored SIT probe and judicial inquiry into the alleged torture of an army officer and his fiance at Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar.
"We will submit a memorandum addressed to the President through the governor," BJD leader Lekhashree Samantasinghar said.
"The state government does not have control over the administration and police. This is evident from the Bharatpur police station incident where an army officer and his woman friend were physically and sexually assaulted. This is not acceptable in a civilised society," Samantasinghar said.
BJD leader and Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, who took part in the demonstration said, "BJD president Naveen Patnaik has demanded a court-monitored SIT probe and judicial inquiry because the state police cannot properly investigate the allegations against its own personnel. Therefore, a judicial probe can only give justice to the victims."
Das also accused the state government of trying to cover up the incident and protect the erring policemen involved in the incident.