JAGATSINGHPUR: Father of the Gatiroutpatna gang-rape victim on Monday expressed his disappointment with BJD leaders and district officials for not paying a visit to the family’s house at Rankei village in Tirtol following the incident.
He said that except police, no one from the Government has visited his house. "Last Friday, Chauliaganj police paid us a visit to inquire about the circumstances which led to my daughter leaving the house. After a quarrel over petty issue, my younger daughter took Rs 1,000 from my pocket without informing me and went to her sister's house in Cuttack. Police asked for the Identity card of my daughter following which I gave them her Aadhaar card," he said.
The father further said he has requested for compensation to his daughter so that she can continue her studies. But, no one from the Government has visited my house after the incident.
The 15-year-old victim, a student of Class VIII in the local high school, was gang-raped by two youths for 22 days in a farmhouse near Gatiroutpatna within Chauliaganj police limits in Cuttack. Police have arrested the two accused.
Meanwhile, women activists of different organisations and students under the aegis of Pragatisila Janamanch staged demonstration at Biju Patnaik square in Jagatsinghpur town on the day demanding stringent punishment to the accused in gang-rape of the minor girl at Gatiroutpatana of Cuttack and immediate rehabilitation of the victim.
Protesting the rise in crimes against women and girls in the State, the agitators alleged that ruling party leaders are busy campaigning for the BJD candidate in Tirtol bypoll but are yet to visit the victim’s family members. No steps have been initiated to rehabilitate the victim and compensate her family members.
Coordinator of the Janamanch Prachi Patnaik said the accused the accused persons should be punished harshly to set an example for others. Besides, the Government should stop sale of liquor and install CCTV cameras at important bus stands like Badambadi and OMP in Cuttack as well as Baramunda & Master Canteen in Bhubaneswar.
Among others, prominent women activists Mamta Parida, Lucky Sahoo and Manasi Mallick participated in the demonstration.