The alleged murder of Dharmsala block’s Haridashpur Village Level Worker(VLW) Smitarani Biswal has triggered outcry in different circles.
Alleging that the victim was gang-raped and murdered, the BJP on Saturday said police have not yet arrested the culprits under pressure from the ruling BJD.
BJP leaders Prakash Mishra and Dr Lekhasri Samantsinghar said a team of the party visited Haridaspur and conducted an on-the-spot investigation on Friday. After interacting with VLW’s family members and villagers, the team met the SP and urged him to take exemplary action against the culprits.
“The police are investigating the case on the statement of accused Rupesh Bhadra, husband of Haridashpur Sarpanch. Bhadra, two BJD Samiti members, a BJD ZP member and high-ranked officers of the Ramco Cement attended a feast in the guesthouse on October 16 before she was found hanging. The VLW was gang-raped and then hanged,” alleged the BJP.
They wanted to know why the police have not sealed the guesthouse yet. Family members told the team that the victim was upset as leaders were putting pressure on her to include different people in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
“While family members have alleged that she was murdered, it is disappointing that police have termed it as a case of suicide,” said Samant singhar. She threatened that the BJP would take to the streets if family members of the victim don’t get justice at the earliest.
Meanwhile, students of the Dharmasala Women’s College took out a rally near Jaraka Bazar in Jajpur district demanding arrest of the culprits in the murder case.
Meanwhile, an 11-member fact-finding team formed by the Pradesh Congress Committee visited the spot and met the family of the deceased on Friday.
Meanwhile, the BJP Jajpur district unit called a Jajpur Bandh on Monday alleging that police have been shielding many accused in the murder case. "The woman was murdered, but the police have booked the accused under Section 306 of IPC," said district BJP leader Gautam Ray.