BHUBANESHWAR: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) today announced that the party would organise a dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan on November 2 demanding immediate arrest of the culprits in the Kunduli gangrape case.
Alleging that the state government is trying to shield the accused in the dalit minor gangrape case in Koraput district, OPCC president Prasad Harichandan said the victim is being pressurised to change her statement. Criticising the police for its failure to nab the culprits though 15 days elapsed since the incident took place, Harichandan alleged that the girl has been put under surveillance in district headquarter hospital in Koraput.
The minor girl was allegedly raped by four persons near Kunduli on October 14.
Harichandan alleged that the girl is being mentally tortured and made to stay in the hospital though she is fit to be discharged now. He alleged that in the name of counselling, women police personnel are constantly trying to put pressure on the girl at the hospital asking her to change her statement in a bid to allow the culprits to go scot-free.
Hitting out at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the incident, Harichandan sought to know as to why Naveen is silent on the issue despite being in charge of Home department. The Congress leader alleged though Rs 8.25 lakh should have been paid as compensation to the girl as per legal provisions, no payment had been made so far.
Harichandan alleged that five rape cases are being reported every day in Odisha and police has failed to nab the accused persons in most cases because of inaction on the part of the state government. He warned that Congress will intensify its agitation across the state if the government failed to take appropriate steps for the arrest of the accused persons.