: A BJP fact-finding team on Tuesday conducted a spot inquiry of the death of a tribal woman, Laxmi Majhi (28), whose charred body was recovered from behind a maternity home in Chandrapur of Rayagada district. Laxmi was working as an employee in the Maa Gruha (maternity home) managed by an NGO ALISHA.

Women colleagues of Laxmi informed Laxmi’s father Beldhar Majhi that his daughter was missing from her workplace from December 20. When Beldhar telephoned her daughter Laxmi, her phone was found switched off.

Later, after her father reached Chandrapur he found his daughter partially charred body behind the maternity home.

According to Beldhar her daughter, a few days back, told his son that she was mentally and physically tortured by the chief functionary of ALISHA and she wanted to leave the job.

Smelling foul play in the death of his daughter, Beldhar lodged an FIR in the Chandrapur police station alleging that Laxmi was tortured and later murdered by her employer.

The Chandrapur police after postmortem handed over the body to the family members of Laxmi.

 Later, on the directions of State BJP women’s wing president Aiswarya Biswal, a State-level fact finding team from BJP comprising State general secretary Babita Patra, State women’s wing coordinator Arunima Sahu, district president B Laxmi, National general secretary for Schedule Tribes Kaliram Majhi and others went to the spot and investigated the matter.

They interacted with the colleagues of Laxmi, staffs, and police officials at Chandrapur and Muniguda and listened to their version.
 
Meanwhile, hundreds of tribals under the leadership of Sadan Makhi and Bhagaban Majhi demonstrated in front of the Tikiri police station and demanded a probe by Crime Branch into the death of Laxmi and pay compensation to her family.