BJD protests in Odisha over alleged assault in police custody

Bhubaneswar, Sep 21 (IANS) Women workers of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a protest here on Saturday against the alleged assault of an army officer and his fiancee, who was also sexually molested, at a police station in the Odisha capital.

Carrying placards and banners, hundreds of BJD women members demonstrated outside the Governor’s residence, accusing the state’s BJP government of failing to ensure the safety of its citizens, especially women.

The protestors demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe under judicial supervision into the alleged torture of the army officer and his fiancee at the Bharatpur police station in the state capital.

The BJD leaders also called for a full judicial inquiry to bring justice to the victims.

BJD leader Lekhashree Samantsinghar said: "Odisha is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The BJP’s double-engine government is making Odisha infamous for such shameful incidents."

She further added, "An army major and his fiancee were allegedly brutally assaulted in a police station, yet no action has been taken, and the police remain silent."

Lekhashree questioned the government’s silence on the matter. "Why is the government silent on this? Why has Chief Minister Mohan Manjhi remained quiet? Why hasn’t the Minister for Women and Child Development spoken up about this?"

She also criticised the BJP government for its inefficiency, stating, "It’s been more than 100 days since the elections, yet the BJP government has not been able to figure out how to run the state. They seem to have lost control over everything."

BJD President and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident at Bharatpur police station on the night of September 15.

Patnaik expressed his shock over the incident, saying, "This is shocking news. The alleged physical violence against the army officer and the molestation of his fiancee at a police station is deeply disturbing. We demand a full judicial inquiry, and swift action must be taken."

According to reports, the army officer and his fiancée had gone to Bharatpur police station to file a complaint about an incident of road rage.

However, an argument broke out between the police and the couple. The police allegedly beat the army officer, while three female police officers dragged his fiancee into a cell, where she was reportedly assaulted by male officers, including the ex-Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of the police station.

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