The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Sunday constituted a six-member fact-finding committee following the arrest of Udit Pradhan, President of the Odisha Student Congress.
Pradhan was taken into custody after a 19-year-old engineering student accused him of rape, criminal intimidation, and spiking her drink with intoxicants. The alleged incident occurred on March 18 at a hotel in Bhubaneswar.
The OPCC team, led by senior Congress leader Sasmita Behera, has been tasked with gathering all relevant facts and submitting a detailed report to the state leadership. Party sources indicate that the move is part of Congress’s efforts to maintain internal accountability and uphold its stance on gender-based violence.
Committee Members:
- Sasmita Behera, Vice-President, PCC
- Sofia Firdous
- Dr. Debasmita Sharma, Secretary, PCC
- Sonali Sahu
- Jayashree Patra,
- Dr Manisha Das Pattanaik
In parallel, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the Congress-affiliated student body, has suspended Pradhan, pending further inquiry. The party emphasised its zero-tolerance policy toward crimes against women, particularly in the wake of its recent criticism of the state government’s approach to women’s safety.
The arrest has triggered strong reactions across the political spectrum, with opposition parties calling for swift justice and transparency, while citizens have raised questions about the culture within student organisations.
