Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government, demanding immediate justice for the Balanga burn victim. OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das warned that if the culprits are not arrested within this timeframe, the Congress will gherao the DGP’s office and hold the administration directly responsible for shielding the accused.
Das accused the state government of systematically suppressing the case and weakening the police force.
“This is not just a failure of law enforcement—it’s a conspiracy. The girl lost her life, and even while she was alive, she did not get justice. The government deserves condemnation,” he said at a press conference in Bhubaneswar.
Criticizing the Home Department, Chief Minister, and Deputy Chief Minister, Das questioned why no arrests had been made even two weeks after the heinous incident, where the minor girl from Baiabar under Balanga police station in Puri was abducted and set ablaze by unidentified miscreants on July 19.
Das added, “Instead of catching criminals, the administration is behaving like one. This is systemic failure and systemic murder.”
He also pointed to the victim’s reported statement before her death, demanding it be made public. “If the girl gave a statement, why is it not out in the open? Empty condolences from the government hold no meaning.”
Das drew parallels with the Fakir Mohan Autonomous College case in Balasore, where another girl suffered burn injuries under suspicious circumstances. He asked, “Who brought the petrol? Who was present at the scene? Is the government truly incapable of finding out?”
The Congress leader took aim at what he called the “selective sensitivity” of the government, noting that while state and Union ministers visited the victim, no concrete arrests have followed. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier visited AIIMS Delhi where the girl who succumbed to her injuries this evening was undergoing treatment in critical condition.
“The state government responded quickly with symbolic gestures, but justice has remained elusive. If there is no accountability within seven days, the silence will be interpreted as complicity,” Das warned.
