The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has announced a six-hour bandh in Bhubaneswar on September 24, protesting the alleged assault on an Army officer and his fiancée by police personnel at the Bharatpur police station on September 15. The strike is scheduled to take place from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the party is calling for widespread participation from residents.
Senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra criticized the ruling BJP government, drawing parallels between this incident and a prior assault involving a relative of the Jharkhand Governor. “Odisha is known as a peaceful state with a rich tradition of worshipping Goddess Mahalaxmi and Subhadra as symbols of women’s power, but this tradition is in danger,” he said. Mishra further alleged that the state government has remained a “mute spectator” to the unfolding situation.
The protest comes on the heels of a previous demonstration held by the BJD outside the Raj Bhavan, where they demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged police brutality and called for stringent action against the involved officers.
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The incident in question involved Army officer Gurvansh Singh Gosal, who is attached to the 22nd Sikh regiment in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. He and his fiancée visited the Bharatpur police station to file a complaint related to a road rage incident. Reports indicate that an argument broke out between the police and the officer, leading to allegations that the officer was beaten by on-duty police officials. Additionally, it is claimed that three female officers dragged his fiancée into a cell, where she was reportedly thrashed and molested by male officers.
In response to public outrage, five police officials have been suspended, with the state police acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations. However, senior BJP leader Dilip Mallick accused the BJD of politicizing the issue, stating that during their tenure, they had ignored numerous crimes, including murder and rape.
As the BJD prepares for the bandh, the party is urging residents to join them in their demand for accountability and justice, highlighting the need for reform within law enforcement to protect the rights of citizens.
