Bhubaneswar, August 2: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the Balanga burn case. OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das warned that failure to act within the timeframe would prompt the Congress to gherao the Director General of Police’s office and hold the administration accountable for protecting the accused.
Speaking at a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Das accused the state government of actively suppressing the case and undermining the police force.
“This isn’t just negligence—it’s a conspiracy. A young girl has lost her life, and even during her final days, she was denied justice. This government deserves outright condemnation,” he said.
Das directly criticized the Home Department, Chief Minister, and Deputy Chief Minister, questioning why no arrests had been made more than two weeks after the incident. The minor girl from Baiabar village under Balanga police station in Puri district was allegedly abducted and set on fire by unidentified assailants on July 19.
“Instead of apprehending the culprits, the administration is acting like one. This is a case of systemic failure—of institutional murder,” Das remarked.
He also questioned why the girl’s reported dying statement had not been made public. “If the victim made a statement before her death, why is it being kept under wraps? Hollow condolences from the government mean nothing in the absence of justice,” he said.
Drawing a parallel to the burn incident involving a student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Das posed critical questions: “Who procured the petrol? Who was present at the scene? Are the authorities truly incapable of uncovering the truth?”
He further accused the state government of displaying “selective sensitivity,” noting that while Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited the girl at AIIMS Delhi, no meaningful action followed.
“The government has been quick to offer symbolic gestures, but justice remains elusive. If arrests are not made within seven days, we will interpret the government’s silence as complicity,” Das asserted.
