A 16-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped, was rescued in a critical condition from the roadside at Ashok Nagar, one of Bhubaneswar’s upscale localities, on Thursday.

The incident sparked outrage and political backlash over women’s safety in the state capital and provided fresh ammunition to the Opposition BJD, which accused the ruling BJP government of failing to maintain law and order.

On Saturday, a delegation of BJD women leaders met deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena and submitted a memorandum protesting against what they called a “spike in crimes against women” in Odisha.

According to police, locals found the girl by the road, crying in pain. She was allegedly barely able to speak and appeared deeply traumatised. Her hair was dishevelled and her clothes in disarray, leading the locals to initially assume she was mentally unstable. The girl was taken to Capital Hospital, where doctors said her condition was critical. She is currently in the intensive care unit.

Police said tracing her family had proved difficult as she carried no identification or mobile phone. She has been unable to give coherent answers and remains under treatment. Based on the medicolegal report indicating a history of sexual assault and signs of psychological trauma, the police registered a case of sexual assault under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

Officers said the girl initially told hospital staff that she was from Bihar, but later claimed to be from Jharkhand. Investigators are yet to confirm her identity or establish how she reached Bhubaneswar.

In their memorandum, the BJD leaders accused the government of letting women’s safety deteriorate on its watch. “During the last 16 months of BJP rule, Odisha has witnessed a drastic increase in cases of rape, gang rape, and other atrocities against women. Bhubaneswar has not been spared from this disturbing trend,” the memorandum said. “The incident occurred late at night when there was no police patrolling. These repeated crimes have instilled a deep sense of fear and insecurity among parents and the public.”

The delegation urged the state police to adopt a “zero-tolerance” approach towards such crimes and demanded the creation of a specialised “women’s safety cadre” to oversee and evaluate protection mechanisms for women and girls.

Responding to the Opposition’s criticism, police commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh addressed a media conference later in the evening, announcing that four persons had been arrested in connection with the case.

“During the investigation, based on technical and human intelligence, a raid was conducted in the Laxmisagar police station area, where violations under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act were uncovered,” Singh said. “Two pimps and a house owner were apprehended for living off earnings from prostitution, while three victims engaged by them were rescued and will be reunited with their families.”

Police further confirmed that another man, accused of sexually assaulting the minor rescued from Ashok Nagar, had also been apprehended. All four accused have been arrested and will be produced in a court.