Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) media cell chairman Narasingha Mishra on Wednesday demanded Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s resignation for failing to provide safety and security to trouble-torn schoolteacher Itishree Pradhan in Rayagada district.
Notably, Itishree sustained severe burn injury after being set afire by a miscreant while she was asleep at her school hostel on Sunday last, because she had complained to the authorities against the sexual misconduct of her former headmaster. The woman with 90 per cent burns is still critical and is in ICU of a Vishakhapatnam hospital.
Addressing a Press conference here at the Congress Bhawan, Mishra expressed deep concern over the incident and said the "barbaric" incident could have been avoided had police arrested the headmaster soon after the lady teacher lodged complaints against him. He asked why the local police did not take any action even after filing three cases against the headmaster by the victim. PCC condemns the inaction of the police, the State administration for the barbaric act, said Mishra and demanded an unbiased inquiry into the whole episode.
Meanwhile, Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee president Bijayalaxmi Sahoo expressed deep anguish over the issue and also over the increasing incidents of violence against women in the State. The Congress submitted a memorandum to the Governor stating the poor management of relief distribution and rehabilitation for the 1.32 crore flood-hit people in the State in 171 blocks, 44 UlBs, 2,164 gram panchayats and 18,374 villages in 18 districts. Among others, senior leaders Abhinna Hotta and Sivananda Ray were present.