Bhubaneswar, Sep 20 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said his government will take stringent action against those involved in the alleged torture of an army officer and sexual assault of his fiancee at a police station in the state capital.
Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who is also in charge of the women and child development department, met the victim of alleged sexual harassment at the AIIMS Bhubaneswar where she is under treatment after being injured due to physical assault at Bharatpur police station in the city.
Parida also met the woman’s father and the army officer, who was also allegedly tortured and put behind bars at the police station.
“Whoever the guilty be, he or she will be punished as soon as the government gets the inquiry report,” Parida told reporters.
Majhi’s statement and Parida’s visit came barely some hours after Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik demanded a court-monitored SIT probe and a judicial inquiry into the incident where an army officer and his fiancee were allegedly tortured and sexually assaulted by the personnel of the Bharatpur police station.
Majhi, who is on a tour of his home district Keonjhar, said: “The state government has already ordered a crime branch inquiry into the incident, suspended the accused police personnel and registered a case against them.” The CM, also in charge of the Home Department, said his government would not hesitate to take action against the culprits involved in the case.
“The government has been taking all steps required in the case. There should be no worries over it. The government is fully aware of the incident and will take strong action in the case,” Majhi said.
Meanwhile, taking to X, Odisha CMO said: “The government has taken the allegations of misbehaviour and assault against an army officer and a woman accompanying him in Bharatpur police station very seriously. As soon as the incident came to the notice of the Government, necessary steps were taken as per law along with departmental action.” “As the incident is very sensitive, the crime branch has been directed to investigate the incident immediately and submit a report within the specified time frame. As soon as the investigation report is received, the culprits will be punished as per law,” the CMO said.
It also said that the state government has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against violence against women and harassment of women will not be tolerated in any form. PTI AAM RG SBN AAM SBN
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