Eight days after the death of Mahakalapada minor burn victim, the rape and murder of a minor girl at Salia Sahi, the biggest slum area of Bhubaneswar, rocked the Assembly on Wednesday with the opposition Congress and BJP seeking an apology from CM Naveen Patnaik for the incident.
The Opposition also forced adjournments for two times for a period of twenty minutes on the issue insisting a statement from Patnaik. Describing the incident as very unfortunate and shocking, Chief Minister Patnaik informed the House that accused Kiran Kumar Sahu had been apprehended and further investigation was on.
Asserting that the instant case should be chargesheeted without delay, CM said he would request the judiciary to take up the case on a fast track mode and complete it early, adding that on earlier occasions, similar cases in Myurbhanj, Baragarh and Sambalpur districts were chargesheeted quickly and trials were completed on a fast track basis.
Expressing his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the House, Patnaik said a sum of Rs 10 lakh had already been given to the bereaved family as ex-gratia.
Giving details of the Tuesday's Salia Sahi incident, Patnaik said that Sahu had been to the house of the victim, an eight-year-old girl, at 11 am and called her out with a plea to identify a particular house and then kidnapped her. When the girl did not return back to her house till afternoon, her parents started searching for her, he said, adding at about 4 pm on Tuesday, the body of the victim was found under a bush near IDCO Basti.
From the condition of the body, it appeared that the girl had been raped and then murdered, the Chief Minister said. Rejecting the Opposition allegation of lapses by the police, Patnaik said the inquest and the post-mortem had been conducted at the Capital Hospital after observing all formalities and the body was then handed over to the family of the victim.
Rubbishing the allegation that the State Government has been a mute spectator to the increasing crime against women, Chief Minister said that many specific measures had been taken for curbing the crime against women such as creation of posts of 537 Sub-Inspector for Mahila and Sishu desk, prompt investigation of cases against women, strengthening of the prosecution system and improving the investigating capabilities of the police etc.
However, the shocking incident triggered anger and anguish in the Assembly. While the BJP members sat on a dharana in the well of the House, the Congress members demonstrated in the well of the House shouting anti-Government slogans. The Congress members also demanded an unconditional apology on the incident.
As the logjam continued in the House, the Deputy Speaker effected two consecutive adjournments. However, normalcy returned as the BJP members went to their seats respecting a request by the Speaker and following the assurance by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das that the Chief Minister would make a statement on the issue.