BJP, Cong demand CBI probe into death of woman VLW in Odisha

Opposition BJP and Congress in Odisha on Sunday stepped up their demand for a CBI probe into the death of a woman village level worker (VLW) in Jajpur district accusing the police of presenting a rape and murder case as a suicide to shield the culprits.

While the BJPs women wing has decided to launch a state-wide agitation on November 5, Congress leaders said the party, which has been seeking a CBI probe into the episode, will raise the issue vigorously in the coming winter session of the state Assembly.

"Though 18 days have elapsed since Smitarani Biswal, VLW and in-charge Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) of Haridaspur in Jajpur district, was sexually assaulted and murdered, no concrete action has been taken," State BJP women wing president Pravati Parida told reporters here.

Hitting out at the state government and police for alleged "inaction," she said the whole episode has been given the colour of suicide and one person has been arrested in this connection as part of attempts to suppress the truth and shelter the real culprits.

Thouth three BJD leaders and a senior official of a private cement company were present at the guest house where Biswal was found dead on October 16, they have not been kept within the purview of investigation, Parida alleged.

She said only a CBI inquiry will establish the truth.

The BJP Mahila Morcha will launch an agitation across the state on November 5 to press the demand for a CBI inquiry.

Senior Congress leader and MLA Suresh Routray said the party has been staging agitation demanding a thorough investigation by the CBI into the matter, but the state government has done little to give justice to the woman PEO.

Routroy said the issue will be raised in the coming winter session of the state Assembly and if necessary the proceedings of the House will be stalled to press for a CBI probe into the incident.

BJPs Pradipta Naik, who is Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, has already said that if the state government fails to recommend a CBI inquiry into the case before the winter session of Assembly, the house will not be allowed to run smoothly.

Meanwhile, the family members of the woman VLW and Haridaspur panchayat in-charge PEO has left their ancestral home in Choramuhan village in Jajpur district on Sunday alleging threat to their life.

Smitaranis father Sadananda Biswal and mother Rukmani Biswal have left their native Choramuhan village for Delhi where one of their sons is residing.

The family members said they decided to leave the state due to constant threats to their life from the accused and police "inaction" on the investigation into their daughter's death case.

"It is too much to bear. No justice was done to the killing of my lone daughter. Rather police assassinated the character of my daughter even after her death which hurt us severely. I am forced to leave my native village in view of the threat to our lives by the perpetrators of the murder of my daughter," said Sadananda Biswal, the father of Smitarani.

"I dont have any way out, but to leave the state to save our lives," he said.

He alleged that the people who conspired and killed his daughter, can easily murder him and his family.

Smitarani Biswal had gone to Haridaspur to disburse old age pension to the beneficiaries on October 16. After disbursing pension in Bhadanga village, Biswal went to the private guesthouse of Haridaspur Sarpanchs husband Rupesh Bhadra in Baligari to freshen up. After some time, she was found dead in the bedroom of Rupesh in his guesthouse.

Police has arrested Rupesh Bhadra for his alleged complicity in the death of the woman VLW and he is now in jail.