Hundreds of Congress workers on Friday gheraoed the office of the director-general of police (DGP) in Cuttack, accusing the Odisha Police of failing to curb rising crimes against women and demanding accountability in the recent immolation deaths.

Shouting slogans and holding placards, the Congress workers marched towards the DGP’s office and submitted a memorandum on the issue. Security was heightened with the deployment of nearly 15 platoons of police in anticipation of the protest. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das led the demonstration.

Das said: “We had earlier intimated to the police that if they failed to crack the Balanga case within seven days — in which a 16-year-old girl was set on fire by three men — we would gherao the DGP office. The mother of the girl and even the victim had earlier said that three men were involved in the crime. But after the victim was airlifted, a day after the incident on July 19, her statement was changed. Under what circumstances should the victim’s statement be changed and made public? As police claimed that the victim’s statement was video-recorded, it should be released.”

He added: “As the administration fails to act, there has been a rise in crimes against women. On this issue, the Congress had also gheraoed the Odisha Assembly. But the Mohan Charan Majhi government fails to act. We hope the police will do their duty without succumbing to pressure. Police should not come under the influence of anyone.”

Launching a blistering attack on the Majhi government, Das said: “Law gives justice. Law never changes colour. But here, the issue is different. An attempt is being made to shield the culprits. In the Assembly, if the BJD does not take a bold move, we will intensify our strike. We will gherao all the police stations.”

Cuttack-Barabati Congress MLA Sophia Firdous said: “We organised a peaceful rally to highlight the issue of how the dignity of women can be restored. As the police are not accepting the FIR, the girls are forced to set themselves on fire.”

She added: “In the Kendrapara case, we want to know why the police failed to register the case. In the self-immolation case of a second-year B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, after the crime branch arrested two ABVP student leaders, attempts have been made to dilute the case. Even the inspector-general of police, who was heading the probe, has been asked to proceed on leave. There is a complete failure of the system.”

Police arrested the boyfriend of the 20-year-old college student from Chennai. She was allegedly blackmailed by the youth. The forensic team visited the village for a second time to ascertain whether the girl had committed suicide or was murdered.

‘Torture’ finger at cop

An assistant sub-inspector of Odisha Police has been suspended for allegedly forcefully marrying a minor and torturing her, an officer said on Friday.

The police identified the accused as Amit Padhi, a resident of Baliapal. Amit allegedly married a Class X student of Jagatsinghpur after developing a relationship with her on Facebook.

“Amit Padhi forcefully married my minor daughter in July 2024. She was forced to tell her age was 22 to others. After the marriage, Amit and his family members tortured her physically and mentally,” alleged the mother of the victim.

The ASI then left the victim at her parental home, she further alleged.

Additional reporting by PTI