RD detention issue: Students appear before OHRC for second time

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Feb 26:

A group of students of Rama Devi University led by Congress leader Sasmita Behera today appeared before the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) for the second time seeking action against the university authorities and commissionerate police officials for locking down some of the students during an official function.

The students questioned the report submitted by Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi on the issue and offered to present the visuals and still images captured by media as evidence of their claim, if there be a need.

Next hearing on the issue has been scheduled on April 29.

Notably, some of the female students, allegedly members of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) had alleged that they had been detained inside a room during the visit of the Chief Minister to the campus to inaugurate the Women’s University on December 3, 2015.

The issue had taken a political turn with BJP and Congress both supporting the NSUI backed students and BJD insisting that the incident never occurred. Opposition members had stalled the Assembly over the issue. While the students had approached OHRC, Congress had approached both National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Commission for Women (NCW) over it.