- BJD seeks President’s intervention over increasing violence against women in the state
- Balasore Student attempts suicide after not getting justice from Chief Minister, Higher Education Minister, MPs and MLAs
- Gang rape of student in Gopalpur sea beach tarnishes Odisha’s image
- Increasing atrocities against tribal and Dalit women is worrisome
Bhubaneswar, 14/07/2025:Today, a three-member delegation of Biju Mahila Janata Dal met the President Smt. DroupadiMurmu at Raj Bhavan and requested her to intervene in the alarmingly increasing incidents of crimes against women, students and minors in the state.
Recently, a 3yr B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore was subjected to mental torture and sexual favour by her departmental professor for 6 months. Even after the student informed the college principal, local MP, and police, she did not get justice. On July 1, the student informed the Chief Minister, Union Education Minister, State Higher Education Minister, local MP, and MLA on social media about her torture and requested them to intervene. Finally, as the college administration, police, and government did not provide any help, she resorted to suicide by pouring petrol on herself in front of the college principal’s office on July 12 and is currently battling for her life at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
In another incident on June 15, a college student who had come to visit Gopalpur beach with her male friend on the occasion of Raja Sankranti was gang-raped by 10 assailants in front of her male friend. A few days ago, the way the ruling party’s Nilagiri MLA Santosh Khatua used personal character assassination and abusive and indecent language towards BJD’s senior general secretary DrLekhasriSamantsinghar is unacceptable in a civilized society. Dr. Samantsinghar had lodged an FIR in Mahila Police Station, Bhubaneswar, but the police have not taken any action so far, raising questions about the mentality of the ruling party and the government.
Similarly, a few days ago, the incident of a 17-year-old tribal girl being gang-raped and hanged from a tree in Tentelapasi village of Keonjhar district shock the entire state. Atrocities against Tribal and Dalit girls and women in the state have been increasing at an alarming rate in the last one year. Similarly, 28,000 cases have been registered in the last one year regarding violence against women, students and children. An average of 15 incidents of rape occur in the state every day, indicating the violence against women in the state. Similarly, the conviction rate for violence against women in the state in the last one year is 5.59 percent, which is the lowest in the country. The posts of Chairperson and Member of the State Women’s Commission have been vacant for a year. The posts of Child Protection Commissioner and Member have been vacant for a year. The delegation drew His Excellency’s attention to the fact that they have been vacant for the last one year.
In this delegation, former Speaker and Opposition Chief Whip, Smt. PramilaMallick, former Minister Smt. SnehanginiChhuria and Rajya Sabha MP Smt. SulataDeo requested the President to intervene to stop the alarming increase in violence against women and atrocities against Tribal and Dalit women in the state.
