Nirbhaya re-run in Odisha: Women activists seek death sentence

Dhenkanal: Within two days of the ghastly incident where a widow was allegedly gang raped and murdered, women activists of mainstream political parties have been making a beeline to the nondescript village in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district.

The women members demanded death sentence to the accused.

“This is a deplorable incident like the Nirbhaya incident. The accused persons should be handed over death sentence,” BJP Mahila Morcha State President Prabhati Parida demanded after meeting the victim’s family members today.

Several women leaders along with former MP Rudranarayan Pany accompanied Parida to Balikuma village.

Earlier yesterday, a team of Congress women’s wing leaders had visited the village. Besides, Krushna Chandra Sagaria, PCC SC Cell Chairman had also met with the kin of the victim.

Worth mentioning, Dhenkanal police yesterday arrested four persons in connection with the alleged gangrape and murder of 45-year-old Dalit widow Jamini Patra from Balikuma village under Kamakhyanagar tehsil in the district late on last Monday night.

The arrested have been identified as Hari Patra, the prime accused, and his three accomplices – Raghu Lohar, Ananda Patra and Sudarshan Lohar.

The prima facie reports revealed that the crime was committed over past enmity. We have arrested four persons involved in the crime including the prime accused Hari Patra and they have been sent for medical examinations, said Dhenkanal SP Basant Kumar Panigrahi.

While Hari Patra, son-in-law of the deceased, and Raghu Lohar broke into her house and gangraped her taking turns, Ananda Patra and Sudarshan Patra guarded the door.

The tormentors reportedly inserted iron rod and handles of utensils inside her private part after gangraping her.

The victim reportedly died of profuse bleeding.

They will be forwarded to court after medical examinations conducted, police said.

It may be mentioned here that the victim had to pay with her life for coming out in support of her niece whom a Kangaroo court held her guilty for having illicit relationship. In its ruling, the village court had asked Hari Patra, the prime accused and the husband of the victim’s niece, to abandon his wife.

When the victim raised her voice against the injustice, Hari Patra got infuriated and hatched a conspiracy to teach her a lesson.