Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced that the State Government had decided to set up Fast Track Courts in all the 30 districts for trial of crimes against women.
Replying to a debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion relating to the gangrape and murder of a Dalit girl in Mthatentulia village in Dhenkanal district, Patnaik told the House that 16 Courts of Additional Sessions Judge had already been created and 18 more were being created to act as Fast Track Courts. With the opening of the courts, each district will have one Sessions Court for trial of offences against women, Patnaik said.
Dismissing the allegations of the Opposition members on failure of the State in protecting women, the Chief Minister assured the State Assembly that the State Government was committed to take prompt action against perpetrators of crime against women and also to take all possible steps to uphold the dignity of women.
Stating that instructions have already given to police for prompt investigation of offences against women, he said investigation in all such cases shall be completed in mandatory 60 days and charge sheets would be filed in appropriate courts.
He said that the State Government had also implemented the Victim Compensation Scheme for victims of various crimes. Accordingly, rape victims would be given up to Rs 1.50 crore of compensation through the District legal Services Authority, he said.
Informing the House that steps have already been taken for prompt handling of offences against women, he said that Women Cells headed by Inspectors have been created in all district police offices for monitoring of crimes against women. Besides, Mahila and Shisu Desks in all the 537 police stations would be strengthened by appointing Women Sub-Inspectors to head the Women and Shisu Desks, he said.
The CM said that all possible steps were being taken to investigate critical cases by using modern technology, including DNA profiling of cases. The State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre for DNA Finger Prints and Diagnosis, Hyderabad and Institute of life Sciences Bhubaneswar for DNA profiling so as to providing the police facility for testing of DNA samples.
Expressing his regret over the heinous incident of rape and murder in Mathatentulia village under Gondia police station in Dhenkanal, Patnaik said that the dead body of a girl about 17 years was recovered in a burnt condition from her house on March 13 last. On the report of the grandmother of the deceased victim, police took prompt action to apprehend the two culprits and investigate the case. The two accused were forwarded to court on March 16 and the Superintendent of Police of Dhenkanal is supervising the investigation, he said.
Giving details of the case, Patnaik said one Shivaji Nayak aged 26 years and Sarat Naik aged 30 years of Mathatentulia village had kidnapped the girl on March 12 night last and committed the rape on her and then killed her by strangulation. The two accused persons then set the house on fire after locking it from outside.
However, Congress members staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over the reply of the CM. Earlier, Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan, leader Of Opposition Bhupinder Singh, Santosh Singh Saluja, Debi Prasanna Chand and independent member Pratap Sarangi alleged that atrocity of all forms against women particularly the rape and murder cases had been on rise in the State without any control and the State Government had failed to check the menace.
Besides, they said that the conviction rate in Odisha was the lowest one in the country which had been prompting the criminals to commit more crimes. They urged the Government to set up Fast track Courts to try the cases against women within a definite time frame to give justice to the victim.
Harichandan quoting National Crime Record Bureau data said that both atrocity on women and Dalits were on the rise. Stating that on an average four rapes were being committed during 2012 in the State, Harichandan said that while the all India rape incidents stood at 18.9 per cent, it was 22.5 per cent during the year in Odisha, which is highest in the country. In prosecution, Odisha is first from below, he said.
He regretted that despite the fact that a barbaric crime was committed against a young Dalit girl who was raped and killed by burning after strangulation on March 12 night, the ruling BJD members did not raise the issue in the House. On the other hand, on political grounds, the ruling party members were pointing out the Delhi gang rape incident to settle political score, he said, adding that the Government or the police was least sympathetic towards the deceased’s father.
On the other hand, Treasury Bench members –Ranendra Pratap Swain, Prafulla Samal, Antnata Das, Nabin Nanda and Pravat Tripathy defended the Government for taking various steps to protect the women.