Even after more than four months, the accused of the gang-rape and murder of a college-going minor girl are yet to be arrested in Ganjam, the home district of Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.
Although the State crime branch is investigating the case, no major breakthrough has been made till date. The Opposition and student leaders are blaming the alleged nexus between the criminals and the ruling BJD for lack of action.
The 16-year-old girl of U.D.S. pur village, who was a +2 first year student of Shahid Bhagat Singh Memorial College at Khandadeuli, was gang-raped and murdered on August 2. The body had been recovered from an agricultural field the next day.
“Girls from the village and adjoining areas do not feel safe to visit their college as the accused in the case have not been arrested yet,” said Ganjam district secretary of CPI (M) Kailash Sadangi. He added that the victim’s elder sister, also a student of this college, has shifted to Rourkela to stay with her relatives there.
A major mass movement by the students had started in Ganjam district after this incident under the banner of Ganjam District Students’ Action Committee (GDSAC) with the support of students’ organisations like the SFI and the AISF.
According to SFI State president Sarat Das, they had also met the State Home Secretary.
It is an irony that although the CM holds the Home portfolio, the accused are yet to be traced, alleged Mr Das. AISF State president Nilakantha Das alleged that the accused were getting protection of the ruling party due to which they were out of reach of police.
