Bhubaneswar, December 24: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has called for a "Chandbali Bandh" on Thursday (December 25) protesting against the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in the Chandabali police station area of Bhadrak district.

Senior BJD leader and Chandbali MLA Byomakesh Ray said that the bandh will be observed between 6 AM to 12 noon tomorrow.

Mystery shrouds the death of a 10-year-old girl whose blood-soaked body was recovered from a forested area near Baligaon panchayat office under Chandbali police limits on Tuesday night triggering protest by locals. The minor’s family alleged that she was raped and murdered. The victim belongs to Naligaon village.

Meanwhile, protestors blocked roads at Hatapadi, Madhubabu Chhak and the bus stand. The protesters also barged into the Chandabali panchayat office located near the spot where the body of the minor girl was recovered.

According to reports, some locals spotted the girl’s body last evening. Tension flared up as thousands of villagers gathered at the spot. On being informed, police rushed to the scene to take stock of the situation. The body was recovered and sent to Chandbali community health centre for postmortem.

The minor had left home after informing her family that she was going to school. When she failed to return, her family members searched for her, following which her body was found in the forest triggering tension in the area.

Meanwhile, police arrested the prime accused in the alleged rape and murder from Jagatsinghpur and intensified the investigation.

The BJD, the main opposition force in the State, has been targeting the Government over the alleged rising cases of atrocities against women.

BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik earlier on several occasions accused the BJP Government of allegedly failing to curb rising crimes against women. The former Chief Minister on Tuesday also criticised the Mohan Majhi Government over the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Bhubaneswar.