Bhubaneswar: The BJD and Congress parties will observe a bandh in Chandbali block of Odisha's Bhadrak district tomorrow over the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in the area.

Chandbali MLA and BJD leader Byomakesh Ray and Congress leader Digambar Das made announcements in this regard today at separate press conferences.

The bandh will be observed from 6 am to 12 noon. Activists of the two parties are likely to stage road blockades and resort to picketing during the bandh observance tomorrow.

Meanwhile, irate locals today ransacked the house of the accused located in the Rampalli area of Chandbali. The accused, identified as Babul Das, was arrested from Jagatsinghpur.

Demanding justice, locals blocked roads at several places in Chandbali this morning by burning tyres.

About the rape and murder incident

The 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered, while her body was found in a naked condition at a deserted spot near the Baligaon panchayat office on the outskirts of Chandbali town on Tuesday evening.

As per reports, the minor girl, who was a Class III student, had left her house around 2 pm but did not return. As evening set in, her family searched for the girl but failed to trace her. Later, locals found her body and informed the family members.

The incident sparked massive outrage, with hundreds of people gathering at the spot. Protesters blocked the Bhadrak-Chandbali main road at Baligaon, burning tyres and staging a demonstration. Due to the road blockade, hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road on Tuesday night.

Heavy police deployment has been made in Chandbali to prevent any further escalation, as the situation in the area remains tense.