Bhubaneswar: Tension prevailed near the official residence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday after Odisha Youth Congress activists clashed with police and hurled eggs while attempting to gherao the chief minister’s house, a senior police officer said.
The protest march, led by Odisha Youth Congress president Ranjit Patra, was taken out along the AG Square–Raj Bhavan road to protest against the alleged gang rape of a minor girl near Dhauli hills on December 10. The victim, a 17-year-old college student, was allegedly assaulted by a group of men at the popular tourist site on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
Holding placards and banners, the demonstrators raised slogans accusing the state government of failing to ensure the safety of women and girls. When police stopped the march midway citing security concerns, the situation escalated as some protesters allegedly threw eggs at police personnel.
Police detained several Youth Congress activists and dispersed the protesters to prevent further escalation. No injuries were reported.
The protesters demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, alleging deterioration of the law and order situation in the state. Youth Congress leader Syed Yashir Nawaz claimed that incidents of sexual violence had increased during the BJP-led government’s tenure.
“Odisha was known as a peaceful state. But repeated incidents such as the gang rape at Gopalpur beach in June and now at Dhauli — a place known as a symbol of peace — show that women are not safe. The government and police have failed to provide security,” Nawaz alleged.
Responding to the protest, BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said the state government has adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards crimes against women. He stated that in the Dhauli case, police have arrested all the accused and sent them to judicial custody.
“The case has been marked as a ‘Red Flag’ to ensure speedy investigation and justice for the victim,” Biswal said, adding that some Congress workers were resorting to theatrics to divert attention from internal issues within their party.
