Normal life partially hit in Odisha's Puri district due to bandh called by BJD over girl's death

Puri (Odisha): Normal life was partially hit in Odisha's Puri district on Thursday due to a six-hour bandh called by the Opposition BJD demanding justice for a 15-year-old girl who died of burn injuries in Balanga area.

The agitators, who blocked roads and burned tyres, raised questions on the police investigation in the case and called upon people to raise their voices against "rising crime against women" in the state.

The bandh was observed from 6 am to noon, Puri MLA Sunil Mohanty said.

Holding placards, banners and blowing conch shells (BJD's party symbol), the bandh supporters urged shopkeepers to down the shutters of their business establishments as a symbolic protest.

The girl's mother had alleged that three unidentified persons set her on fire on the banks of Bhargavi River near her house on July 19. She succumbed to her injuries on August 2 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Delhi.

Odisha Police, however, claimed no one else was involved in the incident. But the Opposition BJD and Congress have raised questions on the police's claim.

The victim's father has also said that his daughter ended her life due to mental distress.

However, the BJD leaders alleged that the police were trying to shield the culprits.

"The girl's mother, in the FIR lodged by her at Balanga police station on July 19, alleged that three people set her daughter on fire to kill her. But later, her father claimed that the girl ended her life. This is contradictory, and it seems that the family changed its version after being pressurised to do so," BJD Puri district president Umakanta Samantray alleged.

"We organised the bandh not to cause inconvenience to people but raise awareness as 15 women and girls are being raped in Odisha every day and the BJP government is still in slumber," Puri MLA Mohanty alleged.

Mohanty said that the private vehicles carrying Lord Jagannath's devotees for 'darshan' were allowed to ply the roads, and essential services remained unaffected.

The BJD announced that it would intensify the agitation across the state.