The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President, Bhakta Charan Das, expressed profound grief over the death of the 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri district, who succumbed to severe burn injuries at AIIMS Delhi on Saturday.
The minor was allegedly abducted and set on fire by three unidentified assailants on July 19, sparking widespread outrage over the state’s handling of crimes against women.
In a fiery press statement, Das condemned the Odisha police for failing to apprehend the culprits despite two weeks of investigation, demanding their arrest within seven days or face a mass protest at the Director General of Police (DGP) office.
The incident occurred when the girl was intercepted while returning home, doused with an inflammable substance, and set ablaze near the Bhargavi River, as per the FIR filed at Balanga Police Station. Despite being airlifted to AIIMS Delhi for advanced treatment, including two surgeries and skin grafting, she could not be saved. Das called the tragedy a “black mark” on the state’s administration, accusing the government of shielding criminals and failing to ensure women’s safety. “If justice is not delivered within seven days, we will gherao the DGP office to show that the government cannot run the police department,” he declared.
The Balanga case follows closely on the heels of another high-profile incident in Balasore, where a 20-year-old student self-immolated after facing alleged sexual harassment, further intensifying public and political pressure on the Mohan Majhi-led BJP government.
Das criticised the police’s inability to identify the perpetrators, despite the victim’s statements being recorded multiple times, as evidence of systemic failure. “The police have modern technology, yet the culprits remain free. This is a deliberate cover-up,” he alleged, pointing to the government’s inaction as a reason for growing public distrust.
Das also raised concerns about the lack of transparency, noting that the victim’s statements were recorded but not made public, fueling suspicions of a conspiracy. He called for a judicial probe and criticised the government’s “zero tolerance” policy as hollow, citing the increasing incidents of violence against women in Odisha. “The government behaves like criminals, protecting the guilty,” he said, warning that continued inaction would lead to statewide protests.
As the investigation continues, the pressure mounts on the Odisha government to deliver results, with the Congress threatening escalated action if the deadline is not met.
