The fellow villagers of the 14-year-old Dalit girl, who died on Thursday after battling for life for 12 days following her gangrape at Kharinashi, alleged on Friday that the State Government cunningly made the bereaved parents agree to the performance of the victim girl’s last rites at Swarga Dwar in Puri.
Meanwhile, victim’s grandmother Radharani Ray demanded the trial of the case in a fast track court and award of capital punishment to the accused. She also demanded immediate arrest of third accused Gouranga Das alias Majhia. The locals staged a road blockade at Harianka on Ramnagar-Kharinashi road demanding Rs 20 lakh as financial assistance to the victim’s family. Congress workers too staged demonstrations at Silipur, Mahakalpada Chowk, Rajnagar, Tinimuhani Chowk and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at several places demanding a judicial probe into it, besides Rs 20 lakh as compensation to the victim girl’s kin.
On Friday afternoon, former PCC president Niranjan Pattanaik visited the victim’s house and expressed her solidarity for bereaved members.
It many be noted here that the local police have arrested two accused in the case. While Pradip Das was arrested on July 29 from Paradip, Ekadashi Das was arrested on July 30 at Arunnagar. Kendrapada SDPO Nrushingha Charan Swain said raids are on at various hideouts to nab third accused Majhia.