Odisha: BJD forms team to probe Nabarangpur tribal woman’s rape and murder

Bhubaneswar, June 16 (IANS) The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday constituted a delegation to visit Nabarangpur and enquire into the alleged murder of a tribal woman following a sexual assault in the Kodinga Police Station area of the district late on Sunday night.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) and BJD president Naveen Patnaik approved the formation of a 12‑member delegation comprising BJD MLA and Nabarangpur district president Manohar Randhari, former MPs Ramesh Chandra Majhi and Pradip Majhi, among others.

The BJD supremo expressed deep anguish and grave concern over the rape and murder of the young tribal woman in Chacharaguda village, under the jurisdiction of the Kodinga Police Station area in Nabarangpur district. The regional party alleged that despite the heinous nature of the crime, the main culprits remain at large, raising serious concerns regarding the local law and order situation.

It further added that the BJD delegation will visit the grieving family to express solidarity, interact with local villagers to assess the ground reality, and meet the Superintendent of Police (SP) to demand justice and the immediate arrest of all those involved.

“The Biju Janata Dal stands firmly with the family of the victim in this hour of immense grief. The party will not tolerate any apathy when it comes to the safety and dignity of women, particularly from tribal communities. The BJD team will ensure the aggrieved family is heard and that the administration acts with urgency to deliver justice,” the party said.

The committee has been asked to assess the ground situation and submit a detailed report to Patnaik at the earliest.

As per reports, the victim, a tribal girl, along with her friends, was playing on a traditional swing near her residence on the occasion of the Raja festival late on Sunday evening.

However, she was later found missing, while her friends returned home, assuming she had gone back earlier. The victim’s brother discovered her body under mysterious circumstances behind their residence late Sunday night.

The family alleged that the accused strangled the victim to death after sexually assaulting her. Police have launched an investigation into the matter and detained one person in this regard.