Bhubaneswar, May 6: BJD president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the State Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressing "deep anguish" over the brutal murder of a pregnant woman at Kharida village under Hinjili constituency in Ganjam district.
In his letter, Patnaik described the incident as 'heinous" and said the visuals of the victim’s three-year-old daughter crying beside her mother's body had "shocked the conscience of Odisha."
“I write to you with deep anguish regarding the heinous crime reported from Kharida village under my constituency, Hinjili. As per news reports and video footage circulating, a pregnant woman was brutally murdered in front of her 3-year-old daughter by the brother of her partner. The victim was reportedly staging a dharna in front of her partner's house seekingjustice, holding her child, when she was attacked. The visual of a 3-year-old child crying beside her mother's body has shocked the conscience of Odisha,” wrote Patnaik.
Patnaik urged the Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, to direct police to immediately arrest all accused involved in the crime. He also sought immediate state support, compensation and rehabilitation for the three-year-old girl who witnessed the killing.
“As Chief Minister of the State holding the Home Portfolio, I urge you to direct Police to arrest all accused immediately. Also provide immediate state care, compensation and rehabilitation for the 3-year-old daughter who witnessed the crime and inquire why preventive action was not taken by police when the victim was sitting in dharna seeking justice,” wrote the former CM.
The BJD president further demanded an inquiry into why preventive action was not taken despite the victim allegedly sitting on dharna seeking justice before the incident occurred.
Seeking the Chief Minister's "personal intervention", Patnaik said the perpetrators must be punished as per law and steps should be taken to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the state.
“I request your personal intervention to ensure that the perpetrators are punished as per law and such incidents are not repeated,” urged Patnaik.
