Odisha: Congress demands judicial probe into minor girl death case

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], August 3 (ANI): Congress leader Rajani Kumar Mohanty on Sunday demanded a judicial inquiry into the case of a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly set on fire by miscreants in Balanga and died during treatment, further stating that the party would surround the office of the Director General of Police for the justice of the victim's family.
The victim succumbed to burn injuries on Saturday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in the national capital, after she was allegedly set on fire by miscreants in the Balanga area of Odisha's Puri district on July 19.
"Congress demands that if, within seven days, the culprits are not arrested by the state police administration, then we'll surround the DG office and do something to get justice for the victim's family. It's not a question of politicisation. It's a question of why the accused go scot-free. We demand a judicial inquiry in this case," Mohanty told ANI.
He further raised questions on the victim's death when initially the Deputy CM Pravati Parida claimed that the victim was recovering at a fast rate.
"When she was admitted to the hospital, she was in a fine condition. I saw her. The doctors had assured that after taking her to AIIMS Delhi, she would be saved. The investigating authorities took her statement four times. If she was capable of giving her statement, and the Deputy CM Pravati Parida told the media just six days before that the victim is recovering at a faster rate, and the police will reveal everything publicly very shortly, then what happened in just four days? Did she die, or did something else happen to her?" Congress leader asked.
"If the eyewitness and the victim initially said that three people abducted her, then how come this story has been changed now?" Mohanty said raising questions on the incident.
The 15-year-old girl succumbed to her burn injuries on Saturday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in the national capital, after she was allegedly set on fire by miscreants in the Balanga area of Odisha's Puri district on July 19.
According to the police, the minor girl went out with her friends, but she was allegedly abducted midway and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire. (ANI)