Bhubaneswar, Sept. 20: Member of the National Commission for Women Charu Walikhanna, who visited woman constable Pramila Padhi, said the state government should have ordered a judicial probe into the September 6 violence that erupted during a Congress rally.
A team of the commission, headed by Walikhanna, today visited Padhi at her Kanan Vihar residence in the afternoon. Padhi had sustained severe injuries when a mob assaulted her with sticks and stones during the Congress rally
Walikhanna said that following the guidelines issued by the Nariman Committee and K.T. Thomas Committee, the state government must order a judicial inquiry into such incidents. “I do not know whether the state government is aware about the guidelines or not,” said the commission member.
The visiting team talked to the woman constable at length as she narrated the incident. “We cannot declare all the members of the crowd present during the violence as criminals, because some of them even tried to save the woman constable,” said Walikhanna, adding that the criminals should be identified and strict action should be taken against them.
“There are many dimensions to such violence and we must see it in a large perspective,” said Walikhanna, adding that during political rallies, the organisers as well as the police should follow certain guidelines.
The commission will seek the action taken report from the state government, said the National Commission for Women member.
The team met 10 other policewomen who also had sustained injuries during the violence. The delegation will visit the Pipili gangrape victim’s family tomorrow at their village.
The victim, who was in coma, has died after prolonged treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Walikhanna said that despite giving several reminders, the state government has not submitted the action taken report to the commission in the Pipili gangrape case that had taken place in November last year. “We were not officially informed whether the Pipili gangrape victim was dead or not,” said Walikhanna.
