BERHAMPUR: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has directed the collector and SP of Rayagada to appear before it on October 17 over the murder of a 24-year-old woman at Chandrapur in 2023.
Laxmi Majhi, a differently-abled woman was engaged as a warden at the Maa Gruha of Chandrapur after being hired by a social outfit called ‘Alisha’. Her charred body was found on December 21, 2023, following which her family in an FIR with Chandrapur police alleged she was raped and set ablaze by miscreants to destroy evidence.
Police registered a case and started an investigation but no arrests were made even after around a fortnight of the incident. Due to the inaction by the police, the zilla adivasi mahasangha observed a 12-hour Rayagada bandh.Following the agitation a three-member team of Central Forensic science Laboratory reached the spot at Chandrapur and started its probe into the incident. Subsequently a Crime Branch probe was also started but it did not work.
As the mystery behind Laxmi’s death remained unsolved, Kaliram Majhi, the general secretary of ST Morcha of BJP in February this year appealed the commission to take necessary action. Research officer of NCST HR Meena in a letter to collector Parul Patwari and SP Harisha BC asked them to appear before it in New Delhi.