Despite the fact that the Commissionerate Police are highly careful about maintaining strict security at the Naveen Niwas, the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, much to their chagrin, protesters sometimes manage to take out their rallies or reach nearby by breaking the security ring.
In the second incident of its kind in the last four days, the police on Tuesday rescued a woman Gaon Sathi while she was attempting self-immolation in front of the Chief Minister’s bungalow. She was identified as Pranati Ojha of Nuagoan in Cuttack.
“Our personnel reached the spot before Pranati attempted to set her on fire. She was later taken to her home,” said Airfield police station IIC RR Sahu. She was stopped by security personnel present there before being handed over to the Airfield police, he said.
It may be noted that two women Gaon Sathis, Pratima Barik and Minarani Maharana, had attempted self-immolation on February 22 by pouring kerosene on their bodies and trying to set themselves afire near the Naveen Niwas. They were rescued by the security personnel in the nick of time.
Gaon Sathis have been on an indefinite strike since the start of the interim budget session of the State Assembly. They have been demanding job regularization, permanent appointment in their respective panchayats with a monthly incentive of Rs 4,500, abolition of the five-member village coordinator panel and employment for 200 days a year to the job-card holders instead of the present 100 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).