BARIPADA: BJD and Congress party workers across Jaleswar block and NAC areas of Balasore district hit the streets and observed a 12-hour bandh on Tuesday seeking justice in the case of the alleged rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl.
The protesters demanded justice for the girl and her family along with compensation of `50 lakh and a crime branch probe in the case.
Vehicular services between Sogo and Jaleswar, business establishments, court, banks and government and non-government institutions remained shut.
BJD workers led by Jaleswar MLA Ashwini Kumar Patra and municipal chairperson Pratip Kumar Pradhan picketed various places, including markets, in Jaleswar town. “We demand justice for the deceased and her family and hanging sentence to the accused, besides life imprisonment to others involved in the case,” said Patra.
Congress leader Sudarshan Das and block president Hemant Giri, along with party workers, held a street-corner meeting at Station Chhak, where they raised the compensation demand and handing over of the case to the crime branch.
The minor’s decomposed body was found on October 22 at Dherapada, along the road between Shulashanda and Bartana villages.
The following day, Balasore SP Pratyush Diwakar transferred Jaleswar IIC Ashok Barik to the district police headquarters and suspended Nampo outpost sub-inspector Karan Marandi over their failure to act promptly on the missing person complaint given by the girl’s father at the outpost on October 16, the day she went missing.
The girl’s family had reportedly identified the person they suspected of being involved in her disappearance. Despite this, the accused was allegedly brought to the outpost and released on multiple occasions without further action, sources said.
The police registered a rape and murder case and arrested the accused Chandrakanta Jena (23) of Sultanpur village. The accused is in judicial custody, as the court rejected his bail application. Police have detained four persons, including a woman, for questioning in the case.
According to preliminary investigation, the girl left home on October 16 to attend a dance class with the accused but did not return. The accused reportedly took her to an isolated location and allegedly sexually assaulted her, and killed her when she threatened to inform her parents about the assault.
