The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have called for Odisha bandh tomorrow against the BJD government for its failure to provide justice to the Kunduli gangrape victim.
The bandh calls by the BJP and Congress came a day after the victim, a class 9 student of Sarispadar village in Koraput, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in her home. It was alleged by her family members that she took her life as she did not get justice with the police categorically denying that she was raped.
Earlier today, scores of BJP workers pelted stones at policemen and clashed with them as the opposition party intensified its stir demanding a CBI probe into the rape of the minor girl by four men in school uniform in October last year.
The saffron party workers along with members of the party's women wing tried to march to 'Naveen Niwas', the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the protesters, deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said.
Members of the Congress's women wing also staged a demonstration and attempted to enter 'Naveen Niwas'.
The police have detained some BJP and Congress activists, the DSP said.
"The situation is now under control. We have dispersed the agitators," he said, adding that at least four police personnel suffered injuries as the protesters pelted stones.
The girl had alleged that she was raped by four men in uniform in Kunduli on October 10 last year when she was returning home at Musaguda village, about five kms away, in the Naxal-hit Koraput district.
There was tension in Koraput as locals led by Congress leader Pradip Majhi took away the girl's body from the hospital without allowing officials to perform a post-mortem, officials said.
The agitators blocked National Highway-26 in Kunduli in Koraput by placing the girl's body on it and staged a demonstration, demanding action against those involved in the alleged gangrape and police officials who failed to provide justice to the girl, they said.
The Congress will hold a state-wide 12-hour bandh tomorrow holding the Naveen Patnaik government "solely responsible" for the tragedy, said state Congress president Prasad Harichandan, who joined the party demonstrators in Kunduli.
BJP leader and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram has demanded a CBI probe into the whole episode and alleged that the girl was denied justice.
BJP state general secretary Bhrugu Buxipatra urged the people to make the bandh a success tomorrow "as the girl died after being denied justice".
"The girl had earlier claimed that there was threat to her life. She was forced to take the drastic step of ending her life as she was denied justice," said Congress Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Meanwhile, Odisha Women and Child Development Minister Prafulla Samal said his department would inquire into the circumstances that led to the death of the rape survivor.
"We feel that the department has some responsibility. Our officers will probe into the cause of her death," Samal told reporters.
With PTI Inputs
