Jatni minor rape case: Women and eunuchs gherao police station

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Khordha/Bhubaneswar, Jan 22:

Women and eunuchs (kinnars) today took to the streets in Jatni in Odisha’s Khordha district to protest against the heinous rape of a nine-year old girl late on Wednesday night in the Loco Colony area.

Different women and eunuch associations staged a demonstration and gheraoed the Jatni police station.

The agitators blocked the road leading to Jatni railway station by burning old automobile tyres.

The agitation which had the support of the locals demanded exemplary punishment to the extent of death by hanging for the accused.

“They have demanded establishment of a new mahila police station, frequent patrolling by PCR vans in the Loco Colony area and routine checking and blocking in the night after 10 PM. There is provision for one mahila police station in each district, since there is one in Bhubaneswar it is only the Commissioner of Police who can write to the government for the same. Regarding posting of more women officers in the police station that can be done,” said a police official of the Jatni police station.

On the other hand, there has improvement in the health condition of the victim who is undergoing treatment at the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

A team of doctors from the Gynecology, Surgery and Medicine departments are treating the victim. The attending doctors have said that the victim will be kept under observation for five days and her condition has improved.

“There has been improvement in the victim’s condition in comparison to yesterday. Her health condition is stable. She is being subjected to regular check-ups. There is no problem. Medicines etc. whatever is required for her treatment everything is being provided by the hospital. A team doctors from the departments of Gynecology, Surgery and Medicine are treating here,” said Dr Biswabhushan Patnaik, director Capital Hospital.

Chairperson of State Commission for Women (SCW) Lopamudra Baxipatra today visited the victim at the Capital Hospital. She has sought immediate filing of chargesheet police in the matter and speedy trial.

“Our immediate concern is that she gets well soon and returns to her home. I have spoken to police for immediate filing of chargesheet in the case and will stress on speedy trial in the case,” said Baxipatra.

“This is a very unfortunate incident. The minor girl was kidnapped from her home and raped, she is very poor. She is in extreme pain. I am shaken that the help that should have come from government is yet to come.  She has been given only Rs 2,000 and free medicines. This is a very unfortunate thing to happen in a state like Odisha, where infant mortality, maternal mortality and dropout rate of girls is the highest in the country,” said Fouzia Khan, president NCP’s national women committee who also visited the victim.

Notably, a nine-year old of Loco Colony area of Jatni was kidnapped from her home late on Wednesday night allegedly by Ahiraj Naik and raped. The accused had dumped the victim in a profusely bleeding state after committing rape. She was rescued by locals the next morning and rushed to hospital. Nayak, the accused has been arrested by the Jatni police.