Plea To Orissa HC For CBI Probe Into Alleged Gang-Rape & Murder Of Young Girl In Odisha’s Ganjam

Cuttack: Even as the entire state is yet to recover from the murder of minor girl of Nayagarh, a petition has been filed in the Orissa High Court seeking CBI investigation into alleged rape and murder of a young scheduled caste girl of Ganjam district after the police failed to make any progress in the case.

The petition, filed by Surendra Panigrahi, president of Bharatiya Bikash Parishad, stated that the 22-year-old girl of Deokhali village under K. Nuagaon police station had gone to Kanteijati nullah in the village to take bath at 10 am on May 10. When she did not return home after a long time, her mother Rama Nayak went to the nullah in search of her. She found her body floating in the water.

After the deceased girl’s mother filed an FIR at K Nuagaon police station alleging gang rape and murder of her daughter, a case was registered and the body sent for post-mortem. The IIC of the police station Madhabananda Nayak took up the investigation.

The post-mortem report revealed that there were 15 to 20 injury marks on the victim’s body. Around 200 ml of muddy water was also found in her belly. During preliminary investigation, police found the dresses carried by the girl to the nullah thrown here and a gent’s slipper lying near the place.

As the local police failed to trace the accused, the victim’s family took up the matter with the Additional SP at the time. He had told them that the mobile phone call records and details of the friends of the deceased were being collected and it is expected that accused will be nabbed soon. Even polygraph test of some suspected persons was carried out.

The mother of the girl, who had passed graduation, also met the Chikiti SDPO for more than 7 times and Berhampur SP and DIG of Police several times. But there has been no progress in the case, the petition stated.

The petitioner further said since the accused belong to a political party, the local police are remaining silent in the case and hence investigation by an independent agency can reveal the truth and ensure justice to the victim’s family.

The petitioner appealed to the High Court to intervene in the matter and direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the investigation of the case. He also sought compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the bereaved family.