BALASORE: Even as Balasore police have arrested four persons in connection with the assault on two women for allegedly attempting to convert locals in a village of Remuna on December 25, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident.
The women’s body has directed the DGP to conduct a fair and time-bound investigation and also sought an action-taken report within three days to ensure peace and the restoration of law and order in the area.
DIG (eastern range) Satyajit Naik told the media that the arrests were made after the video of the assault on the two tribal women, tied to a tree, went viral.
Main accused Badal Kumar Panda along with Pitambar Biswal (48), Prasanta Kumar Nayak (42) and Bapini Nayak (45) were arrested from Remuna and Nilagiri areas.
They were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected.
Balasore SP Raj Prasad said a case was filed under the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and BNS. A separate case was registered against the two victims under Section 4 of the Odisha Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, and sections 299 (deliberate and malicious insult of a religion), 3(5) (joint criminal liability), and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of BNS for attempting forced religious conversion in the area.