Kunduli Rape Victim Suicide: BJP Gives Koraput Bandh Call Tomorrow

Bhubaneswar/Koraput: Following the death of the gang rape victim who committed suicide at her house at Musaguda village in Koraput district on Monday afternoon, the Odisha BJP on Tuesdaygave a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh call in the undivided Koraput district on Wednesday.

Announcing this at a press briefing at the BJP headquarters office in the state capital here, party’s state general secretary Bhrugu Buxipatra said the 12-hour bandh will start from 6 AM. “During the bandh in Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Koraput districts, there will be no plying of vehicles. All government offices, educational institutions and trading establishments in the undivided Koraput district would remain close during the bandh,” he informed.

Talking about the death of the rape victim,  the BJP leader said it is high time that the state government should suo motu initiate a CBI probe into the tragic incident. “We will continue our agitation till the family of the victim gets justice and those responsible for the incident,” he added.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Koraput on Tuesday following the road blockade by the irate locals on NH-26 near Kunduli haat. Source said the agitators have kept the body of the victim after forcibly taking it away from the family members at Kunduli CHC.

Congress leaders including former MP Pradip Majhi, president of Koraput District Congress Committee, Minakshi Bahinipatl and former Pottangi MLA Rama Chandra Kadam were present with the agitators.

Talking to media persons, Majhi said his party will take appropriate steps to ensure security, safety and modesty of the mothers and girls in the state.

Reacting to the absence of the district officials who are yet to meet the family of the victim, Majhi said these officials can never give justice to the bereaved family. “The DIG and the district SP are squarely responsible for the death of the rape victim. I request them to kindly leave Koraput district at once because if they stay in the district, the girls and mother of the district would be the victims of such brutal and heinous incident everyday,” he maintained.

Senior Congress leader and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said his party had raked up the issue in State Assembly. Leave alone the Chief Minister, not a single BJD and BJP member raised the issue.

Asked about the future course of action to be taken by his party, he said a decision would be taken after a meeting of the party leaders and workers in the district very soon.