Student's self-immolation death in Odisha's Kendrapara sparks political outcry

Bhubaneswar, Aug 6 The unfortunate death of another female student after a self-immolation attempt in Pattamundai area of Odisha's Kendrapara district on Wednesday prompted the opposition parties to intensify its criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government.

Addressing a press conference here, senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Lenin Mohanty said, "The incident is not just shocking, it is frustrating for the people of Odisha. There is lawlessness everywhere. Lawyers are being assaulted, businessmen are unable to function, teachers and youths feel unsafe. In the past 15 days, we have lost three precious lives due to administrative negligence."

Calling for accountability, Mohanty demanded that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi should relinquish the Home Department portfolio and hand it over to someone more capable.

"The Chief Minister has lost the confidence required to manage the Home Department. The Director General of Police, too, should step down immediately. His job is to ensure the law and order and protect the common man. On that front, he has failed," Mohanty asserted.

Similarly, the Opposition Congress sharpened its attack on the state government following the death of a girl student in Pattamundai in Kendrapara district.

The Congress alleged that the incident has shaken the conscience of the people of Odisha and reflects the prevailing state of lawlessness and administrative apathy.

The Congress alleged that the victim took the extreme step as police didn't give any heed to her complaint regarding alleged harassment by her estranged boyfriend.

The grand old party demanded that the state government should immediately launch a high-level inquiry into the incident and suspend the police officials found guilty.

Acting on the direction of Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das, a high-level fact-finding committee has been formed to visit the spot and investigate the circumstances that led to the tragic incident.

The committee will visit the site on Thursday and submit a detailed report on the issue.

Notably, one more girl student, on Wednesday, died after she set herself on fire allegedly due to blackmail by her boyfriend at Kathiapada village under Pattamundai Rural police station area of Kendrapara district.

The victim was a last year undergraduate student of the local college.

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