Bhubaneswar: The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday alleged that peace-loving Odisha has turned into a “disturbed state” due to the rising crime graph under the BJP government.
Addressing a press conference here, BJD senior general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar claimed that incidents of murder and violence reported across the state over the last 10 days reflected a “complete collapse” of law and order.
She alleged that common people were no longer feeling safe in the absence of effective policing and rule of law.
Samantsinghar cited several recent incidents, including the alleged rape and attempt to murder a Dalit woman in Dhenkanal district, the killing of a pregnant woman in front of her three-year-old daughter in Ganjam district, an attempt to murder a youth in broad daylight in Puri district, and the recent mob lynching of a Government Railway Police (GRP) constable in Khurda district.
Referring to the lynching incident, the BJD leader alleged that the deceased constable had worked as a gym trainer for a senior police officer.
Samantsinghar also referred to another recent murder in the Balianta area of Khurda district, where a youth was allegedly beaten to death with stones over a dispute involving Rs 20,000.
“Police have so far failed to arrest the main accused involved in all these crimes. This clearly shows that these criminals are operating under the political protection of the government,” she alleged.
Claiming that Odisha had earned recognition as a peaceful state during the previous BJD regime, Samantsinghar said the state had now turned into a “disturbed state” under the BJP government.
BJD’s Jagatsinghpur district women’s wing president Lora Mohapatra also criticised the government, alleging failure in checking crimes against women.
“If the chief minister himself, who is in charge of the Home department, is unable to handle the law and order situation, then he should immediately transfer the department to someone else,” she demanded.
Responding to the allegations, Deputy Chief Minister K. V. Singh Deo said the state government had taken the recent mob lynching incident seriously.
He said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had directed the chief secretary and Director General of Police to ensure the arrest of all culprits involved in the case.
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan rejected the allegations made by the opposition and claimed that Odisha’s conviction rate had improved significantly under the present government.
“The conviction rate, which remained around eight per cent during the previous government, has increased to 40 per cent now. All accused persons are being arrested within 24 to 48 hours and criminals are not being spared,” Harichandan said.
