rapist sentenced to 'hang till death' in Kuchinda

In a historical judgment, judicial court of Kuchinda in Sambalpur district has pronounced capital punishment against a rapist Arjun Teli on Tuesday who murdered his 5 years old niece after attempting rape on her in 2008 in Mithupara under Govindpur police station of the district. Examining as many as 14 witnesses and basing on the medical and chemical examination report, the court held the accused as guilty and sentenced him ‘hang till death’ in open court.

“Since all evidence and witnesses were against the accused who tried to rape own niece and murdered her mercilessly, the court found him guiltily and sentenced him to hang till death. The court felt that the accused has lost faith on human being after he committed such a heinous crime with a 5 years old girl who supposed to be the daughter of his own sister”, additional public prosecutor of Kucinda, Rabindra Kumar Naik said. He was conducting the case from government side.

According to the sources, accused Arjun Teli (22) was residing in Mithupara of Bamra town under Govindpur police station of Sambalpur district. On 24^th April 2008, he took his 5 years old niece to outside in guise of purchasing chocolate to her. His sister and mother of the victim was never had any doubt on him. While retuning to home, he took her to a secluded place where he tried to rape her. But she cried with pain when profuse bleeding started in her private part but he did not let her go and throttled her to death. ‘Since there was no eye witness, court based on the medical reports which revealed fractures and injury marks on her neck and scalp because of heavy strike of hard object on her. It was because the accused had pounced her with a heavy object after throttling her to kill after he failed to rape”, prosecutor Naik said.

Sources said, the additional district judge SK Pati pronounced the judgment convicting him u/s 302/376 and 511 of Indian Penal Code.

Power menace in western Orissa continues

Despite the direction of the state government, regular power-cut in western Orissa over the past few days has irked the local people who are planning to agitate against the attitude of the power supply company WESCO. The situation became worst when the entire western part of the state was black-out for more than 4 hours on Monday. While WESCO officials blamed less power-generation in Burla power house which led to such a situation, sources revealed power generation in Burla has no direct link with supply of WESCO as distribution of power is regulated by GRIDCO.

Sources said, power generation of Burla power house of Hirakud hydro project has been reduced over the past few days possibly in apprehension of shortage of dam water in summer. Though water level of the reservoir has in a satisfactory point, still grinding of turbine halts most of the day time on the direction of State load dispense centre of Gridco.

“We have sufficient water in the reservoir but I do not know why power generation was stopped in the power house. We have absolutely no problem from our side.” executive engineer of Hirakud Dam project RK Panda said. According to him there is a working table that has been prepared jointly to water supply to the power house from the dam project as per requirement and demand of the power generation.

“We are forced to off the power supply as we do not get sufficient power when generation in Burla power house is closed down. Though Grid is regulating the power supply but it becomes difficult for us to get supply from thermal in time. We do not know what would be the situation in summer”, Executive engineer WESCO SK Darji said.

Sources said, while Hirakud reservoir is under the Hirakud dam project, the powerhouse is under Orissa hydropower corporation (OHPC) and water from the reservoir is discharged to the power house as per the requirement and need of the generation. The power house located at Burla has a maximum generation capacity of 275.5 MW per day. But to the utter surprise, on Monday the power house generated only 16 MW which was reduced to 15 MW on Tuesday. The power house officials revealed such happens because of the direction of the load dispense centre (LDC) of Gridco. While 69 MW was generated on Sunday (21^st), it was about 51 MW on Saturday (20^th)

“We do not know the reason of the less power generation in our power house but we generate as per the direction of the LDC as it regulates the power production in the state”, an official of the power house told.

But local blamed the government alleging it purposefully being done to reduce power generation in Burla power house as there is apprehension of shortage of water level reservoir during summer which might affect water supply to industrial houses. Since farmers of the region are up in arms against sharing of dam water with industries, government wants to please both farmers and industrial houses by keeping sufficient water in the reservoir. But ultimately people of the region will have to suffer.

“I know government does not want to disturb the on going water supply to the industrials houses, but at the same time government is also aware about demand of the agitated farmers of the region. So to please both side governments is purposefully reducing power generation to keep the water stored in the reservoir”, social activist Karunakar Supakar said. On the other hand several citizen groups of both Balangir and Sambalpur have decided to agitate in case the situation remains unchanged in future.

NHRC sought report on domestic-servant tortured incident in Balangir

NHRC has directed Bolangir collector to submit a report on the alleged physical torture by the employer on a domestic-labourer within two weeks, after hearing a complaint petition on 28^th January 2010 filed by Jharsuguda based Pragatisila Sramik Manch (PSM). The commission also wanted to know detained about the action taken by the administration in the alleged physical torture case.“I have received a notice from the NHRC to submit a report on the alleged child labour torture case. I am right now preparing the report to submit it with in stipulated time”, Collector (Bolangir) Aswathy S. said.

Source said, the victim of the case, a 17 years parentless boy Shyam Sunder Podh of Sikachhida village of Bolangir district was residing with his maternal aunty. One Junier Engineer Neheru Behera deployed him through a local agent as domestic labourer in his house two years back with a promise to give Rs.200/- per month. The JE than sent the boy to Chandikhol to work as gardener-com-domestic laborer there. During his stay in Chandikhol, the boy was subjected to physical torture by the employer and his brothers. Things became worst when he wanted to leave the house and asked them for his dues. The boy was brought him to Angul in a bus and left him in an unconscious state after beating him mercilessly. The boy was rescued by passerby and admitted in local hospital. Latter he returned to his native with many difficulties.

‘When I heard about the matter, I rushed to his village on 10^th January 2010. I was surprised to see his condition. He narrated his story and described how he was beaten up by his employer and others. I shocked to hear how he was brought to Angul where they thrashed him mercilessly and left him on the road side in an unconscious state. I raised the issue before the district administration. I demand the government to provide him proper justice and punishment to the erring persons as per provision”, the general Secretary of the Bolangir based NGO ‘Kalyan’ Minaskhi Purohit, who brought the issue into limelight said.

“Raising the issue before the administration, we demanded the arrest of the accused persons on several occasions but reluctant attitude of the both police and administration helps to accused persons to get anticipatory bails from the high court.”, Purohit said.

On the other hand, both administration and police of the district seemed to have wakened up after receiving the direction from the NHRC few days ago. “Rs. 5,000/- was sectioned immediately from the Red Cross fund and shifted the victim to the SCB Medical college for treatment. The victim who suffered severe spinal injury was admitted in the orthopedic department of the hospital”, Purohit added.

Meanwhile, the Pragati Sramik Manch of Jharsuguda which brought the issue before the NHRC demanded proper compensation to the victim from the pocket of the employer. “The victim should be provided with proper justice and the employer should be punished for torturing the innocent boy in the name of domestic labourer. The cost and compensation should be borne from the employer’s pocket”, Rakhyakar Mohapatra, general Secretary of the Pragatisila Sramik Manch (PSM) of Jharsuguda said

First convocation of VSSUT on 25th February

Government apathy continues on the premier and oldest engineering institution of the state, University college of Engineering located at Burla even after it becomes Unitary University. Although government renamed it as Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) as per Orissa act 9 of 2009 from 1^st July 2009, but the condition remains the same. What to speak of financial grants when government does not able to provide an officer for the post of Registrar. The Vice chancellor of the University hopeful for a better condition in near future as the World Bank has agreed to provide a financial assistance of Rs. 10 crores to 15 crores from the coming academic year to the university to begin some new courses.

“I have requested several times to the government and even written letter to the government thorough Governor to provide an officer for the post of registrar, but we are yet to get a government officer for same. Regarding financial allocation we have not received any grants from the government as assured by the CM. I have also given a proposal of Rs. 100 crores for the infrastructural development of the Institution but it is also in the pipeline”, the vice-chancellor of the VSSUT Prof. Deb Kumar Tripathy said “How ever we are hopeful for a better condition of the institution as World Bank has agreed to provide financial assistance from the coming academic session when we start 5 new courses under the University”, Prof Tripathy said.

Sources said, courses on metrical technology, water resources management, power and electric management and manufacturing system engineering will be started in VSSUT from 2010. Established in 1956 near Hirakud Dam project on the side of the River Mahanadi, the institution is going to have its first ever convocation on 25^th February where two best students from graduate and post graduate discipline will be conferred with gold Medal. In the convocation ceremony Chancellor Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare and fellow of National aerospace laboratories, Bangalore Padmadree Dr. Kota Harinarayan have agreed to attend the function where 337 students of the university will be conferred with degrees.

The University of its Own Effort formed a consultative cell to provide consultative services to the industrial houses located in the vicinity. “By providing consultative services to the industrials houses and private company located around the vicinity, we want to generate some funds for the development of the university”, he added.

According to the sources the university has a vacancy of about 39 faculty members for which the institution faces series of difficulties in smooth functioning of the study of the students. “If thing will go as per scheduled these posts are filled up in coming academic year”, Prof Tripathy hoped.

On the other hand, despite of various difficulties, university continues to achieve several distinctions because of the efforts of the students and teaching staff. The students of the university stood first in ‘robotics’ in the techno-fair 'Khitish-2010' held at IIT, Kharagpur where country wide engineering students had participated. Apart from this, university is able to provide jobs to as many as 146 students through its ‘training and placement cell’ during 2009. The University has not yet received the require 300 acres of government lands as assured by the government. Though free land is available adjacent to the University, delay occurred in acquiring the land because of the sluggish approach of the revenue officials, sources alleged.

corporal punishment continues in western Orissa

In yet another incident in Bargarh district, police arrested a primary school teacher for allegedly abusing sexually to a 2^nd standard girl student. Police took the step on the complaint of the victim’s parents on Thursday. Police forwarded him to the judicial custody after registering a case against him u/s 354 (outraging modesty of a female) and 509 (insult a woman using word and gesture) IPC on Friday. Villagers demand stringent action against the teacher.

The incident took place in a primary of Nuadihi village under Bhatli police station of Bargarh district, 85 km away from Sambalpur on Tuesday evening. The teacher Somadutta Sahu while inside the class room asked the victim near him and instructed all other students to turn back side. Than the teacher allegedly molest the victim for quite some time before he asked all students to go outside the class room.

It was in the night when victim’s father knew about the incident after victim confides every thing to her mother. On the following the matter was brought before the school management of the village by the victim’s father. But teacher refused to accept the allegation and maintained him ‘not-guilty’

“The issue was raised before the teacher after we got a complaint from the victim’s father. But we were unable to take any step after the teacher pleaded himself innocent” a member of the school management told.

Finding no alternative the victim’s father went to the police station and made a complaint with the police against the teacher on Thursday. “We registered a case basing on the report against the teacher. We arrested him and forwarded him to the judicial custody u/s 354 and 509 IPC”, officer in-charge of the Bhatli police station BC Sahish said

Another incident occurred in Jharsuguda district

In the close heels of Bargarh student death incident, yet another similar incident corporal punishment has occurred in a school in Jharsuguda district’s Lakhanpur block 125 km away from Smabalpur, where at least 2 students have been injured after a teacher who was allegedly inebriated condition, thrashed both inside the school premises two days back. The matter was intimated to the Block Development officer, but local police denied of getting complaint in this regard.

When contacted Lakhanpur BDO admitted of receiving such complaint from the Sarpanch and he immediately directed the school inspector and resource centre coordinator of the block to inquire into the matter and submit a report for further action against the erring teacher.

“I immediately asked the school inspector and resource centre coordinator of the block to get the matter inquired and to submit a report for further action”, the BDO of Lakhanpur block of Jharsuguda district Purnachandra Bhoi told TOI on Saturday. “Action will be taken against the teacher incase we find truth in the complaint made against his”, BDO Bhoi assured.

Sources revealed two class 6^th students of the Kadamdihi UGME School of Lakhanpur block were allegedly injured after they beaten up by the assistance teacher of Purusottam Mirdha on Thursday. The two identified as Akhyay Seth and Surath Pardhia sustained injures on their hands. The teacher was inebriated condition when the incident was taken place. Parents of the injured students brought the matter before the Samaranch of Kadamdihi after they came to know about it in the evening.

“I took the matter seriously and made a complaint before the BDO on Friday who assured me to take action against the erring teacher”, Sarapanch Ramesh Nayak said.

More over the administration has taken the issue seriously as government has already banned corporal punishment in school. “If it is a fact than it is most unfortunate thing happens in my district. Since I came to Bhubaneswar to attend a meeting I do not know much about the incident but I seek a report from the BDO soon I back to head quarters”, collector (Jharsuguda) Dhananjay Dash said.

child right activists visited Bargarh to review the student death incident

The fact finding comprising eminent child-right activists of Orissa pointed fingers on the local police for not taking immediate step in the student death incident which indirectly helps the teacher to abscond from the town. The fact finding team led by child-right state convener Ranjan Mohanty visited Bargarh on Thursday to collect information on the incident where corporal punishment allegedly caused death of a student. The team will soon submit a report with their observation in the incident with specific recommendations.

.“We do not understand why police did not act promptly and allow the teacher to abscond from the town. The delay of police action creates doubt on the sincerity of the police investigation. Even the school authority was quite aware about the behavior of the teacher but did not take step to warn him. Rather the teacher took his own time to temper the school attendance in order to destroy evidence against him. So it creates suspicious in the mind and entire thing need to be reinvestigated through an independent body to unveil truth behind the incident”, child-right state convener and leader of the fact finding team Ranjan Mohanty told.

“During the visit to Bargarh we met the parents and relation of the deceased as well as students and teachers of the George high school where the student was studying and from the conversation with co-students we learnt that the teacher was punishing students regularly and every one of the school knows it. On the day of the incident, the teacher thrashed deceased and gave several fist blows before he asked few other students to beat him”, Moharthy told.

Sources said, the team comprising of child right activists Umesh Purohit of Balangir, Debadutta Tripathy of Bargarh, Pradip Behera of Sambalpur, Rajendra Meher of Boudh and Gouri Sankar Pnada of Sonepur along with few others met senior officials of the police and administrative department of the district during their one day visit to Bargarh. “From the available information we are sure that deceased sustained severe pain with swelling injuries in the chest due to the punishment of the teacher. We also learnt that deceased was not never suffered from any disease and was healthy and sound”, another activist Umesh Purohit told.

On the other hand the team members also expressed concern over the attitude of the state government in this matter. “Government prepared circular after circular during 2007 to ban punishment in school but such circular has not reached to school. So now we want a notification with proper publication of it in state gazette, if government is serious about it”, activist Pradeep Behera suggested

The fact finding team will soon submit a report on this incident. “We are not against discipline. But if you say punishment is the only alternative to maintain discipline than we do not agree with that. We will recommend the government to provide training through various refresher courses for the teachers to educate them how to maintain discipline in the school with out any punishment”, Ranjan Mohanty added.

It may be mentioned here that a class 6^th student of Bargarh’s George high School Ajay Bagarti succumbed to his injuries after he was mercilessly threshed by a teacher Dambarudhar Rana who remains at large after the death of the student. Government suspended him from the service after the incident.

corporal punishment of a Bargarh teacher caused death of a student

In a sensational case, a student of Bargarh’s George High School, one of the premier educational institutions of the region, died on Saturday after he was allegedly beaten up by his teacher and classmate. Police registered a case against the teacher basing on the complaint made by the relation of the deceased. The accused teacher has been identified as Dambarudhar Rana who remained at large as he managed to abscond after the death of the student.

Sources said, deceased Ajay Bagarti, elder son of Hemsagar Bagarti of Ambabhana under Bargarh district was reading in class 6^th in the high school and was residing in his uncle’s house at Bargarh town. According to the students of the school, the English teacher beats the students regularly incase they do not answer to his question. ‘On 29^th January, the teacher thrashed Ajay mercilessly when he unable to answer a question. When Ajay fell down on the floor he asked the other students to beat him. the teacher gave him fist blow and other students beat him on the instruction of the teacher’, uncle of the deceased Tikeswar Barge mentioned in his complaint with the police as described by the deceased after the incident.

Since after punishment Ajay was suffering from severe chest pain and he also went to hospital for check up. ‘When he narrated the episode and complaint of severe chest pain we took him to the hospital. He could not attend the school for few days because of the chest pain”, the uncle of the deceased Tikeswar Barge told.

Deceased Ajay was taken to Bargarh Hospital on Saturday when he suffered severe chest pain and he was shifted to VSS medical college hospital by the treating doctor after the condition of the deceased became severe. But he died in the VSS medical.

Police registered a case u/s 302 IPC and started investigation. “We registered a case against the teacher Rana after getting the complaint. We have not yet arrested him as he remained abscond since Saturday”, SDPO ( Bargarh) Bijay Kumar Dash told.

save the planet, appealed environment activists

To save the human beings from its existence, we need a boundary-less and arm-less society in the world. We can not save the world if the on going devastation of nature is continued further in the name of development. We need an agenda where we can stop all such things which is dangerous for the environment as if a part of the world is polluted it affects the whole environment. We can not survive one country by destroying the environment of other country.

This was opined by the environment activists of Rajasthan and Jammu while addressing a gathering in Sambalpur on Saturday in a symposium organized by ‘Anwesha’, a social organization to create awareness among the people on the climate change.

Speaking on the topic ‘Climatic change: challenge of the hour’, the social activist of Rajasthan, Sajjan Kumar said the survival of the human being is solely depend on the food, water and air. ‘If we pollute our water, air and environment in the name of industrial and fiscal development, than day is not far when we do not have these things as money would not able to provide these things’, Sajjan Kumar warned.

From the present situation of various developed countries it has been proved that both capitalism and socialism are not become old concept as these two isms do not have capacity to survive the living society from the earth. “So we need another concept which protects our existence. We need a globalization concept but not a market based globalization but a social based globalization”, Sajjan Kumar told.

The call of the hour is to save the planet. So each government should stop spending on the defense of the respective country. ‘If we divert the money budgeted for defense expenditure to work for the strengthening the environment, than one would be surprised to get a hunger-free and polluted-free society’, he added.

The programme was coordinated by the convener of Anwesha Saroj Mohanty who appealed every one to join hands to save the environment by supporting the agitations of the people going on various places against devastation of the environment. The environmentalist of Jammu Roopchand criticized the policy of the developed countries to shift all polluted industries to the developing countries. The convener of Gandamardhan Yuba Parisad Pradeep Purohit and eminent trade unionist DP Nayak were also addressed on this occasion. The Oriya translated version of the book written by Jyoti Bhattacharya on ‘Samaj Tantra ra sankata – Biswa ra Sankata’ was released on this occasion which translated by Pradeep Ray.

villagers demand probe into the death of CRPF man

Irate villagers staged demonstration in front of the vehicle that that carried dead body of a CRPF jawan belongs to the Kelanda village under Melchhamunda police station of Bargarh district on Thursday demanding compensation to the deceased family. The Jawan that belongs to the village died couple of days ago in Bhopal in a mysterious condition. While the visiting CRPF officials informed that deceased had committed suicide jumping over a running train near Bhopal, deceased father was not denounced to accept it. Situation was brought under control after the visiting CRPF inspector had assured to take appropriate step to fulfill the demands of the villagers.

Sources said deceased Ramesh Bishi, the only son of Mahadev Bishi of Kelenda village was working in CRPF since 1996 and resides in a CRPF camp at Nimbuj near Bhopal of Madhya Pradesh. He was married and lived with his wife and 2 sons and a daughter in the official quarter of the CRPF. Ramesh went missing on 12^th (Friday) and did not turn off to the office after coming out from the house.

On 13^th evening the railway personnel located his dead body from railway-track near Habibganj railway station, 10 km away from Bhopal and informed the CRPF about the incident. “We rushed to the spot and identified the dead body of Ramesh. We found a railway ticket from the deceased pocket which was purchased to travel from Bhopal to Jharsuguda station. However we were unable to know the cause of the death. Case was registered in Habibganj police station”, CRPF inspector came with the death body Sanjay Kumar told.

“Since investigation is on it is difficult to make any comment on the incident. However looking to the circumstances we become sure that he committed suicide jumping over a running train”, Sanjay Kumar said. “I assured the people that our department would definitely take appropriate step to compensate the family of the deceased”, he added.

On the other hand the father of the deceased Mahadev was not ready to accept it. According to him his son was happy and sound as he talked with him few days ago. “I am sure he can never commit suicide. I talked with him few days back over phone and he was quite happy and jubilant” Mahadev told in a broken heart. “A probe in the incident is needed to bring out truth behind the incident”, he added. The body of the deceased was cremated in the village on Tuesday

class 5th student unable to write his name

He reads in class 5^th in a state-run school, but he does not even know how to write his name. Though it sounds unusual but such an incident occurred in a judicial court of Boudh on Wednesday where a student of class 5^th came to depose his statement in connection to a murder case but he was unable to write his name. This has startled both the lawyers and magistrate present in the court. The attendance register of the school was called for by the court to know the genuinely of the boy, but attendance register shows Bikash as one of the regular student of the class. District collector directed for a probe into the incident after some lawyers brought the matter into him notice.

“State government claims to have crores of rupees for the development of the primary education, but in reality the education standard of the state goes down ward because of the sincerity efforts of the officials and this incident has become an burning example how the state-run school are running in the state”, eminent lawyer of Boudh district Bar Naba Kumar Mishra said.

Sources said, Bikash, a student government-run ME school located at Khaliabagicha of Boudh town was reading in class 5^th. His father was murdered two years back in front of him and trial of the same was pending in the judicial court. During trial of the said case he was present in the additional district judge court on Wednesday to depose his statement being the eye witness of the case. The court took his statement and asked him to sign in the deposition paper. But he refused to sigh in the paper.

“After much persuasion when he disclosed that he does not know writing his name every one including the magistrate became astonished. How a class 5^th student will not able to write his name. To clear our doubt we call for the school attendance register. We surprised to find his regular attendance in the school”, the government pleader JB Agrawal said.

Sources said, the teachers of the school after knowing the fact rushed to the court and tried to teach him how to write his name. “When the efforts of the teachers became fruitless, the court was allowed him to give his to give his thump impression”, Agrawal added.

We met the collector and brought the matter to his kind notice and requested him to take stringent action the teachers who are responsible for such condition of a student of class 5^th. “How he managed to promote up to class 5^th with out even knowing his name to write. The collector MP Mishra was also surprised and assured us to probe the matter through his officer.” senior lawyer of Boudh, Tareni Mishra said.

Sambalpur 'bandh' went peacefully

The 12-hour bandh call given by students’ mass threw life out of gear in Sambalpur on Wednesday as rail and road traffic remained severely affected. Plying of buses was also stopped in view of the Bandh. Schools colleges, offices both private and government, banks, commercial establishments were remained closed due to the picketing of students. But railway sources revealed that train movement became normalized till noon. Heavy police forces were deployed in the town in view of the Bandh call, but barring few normal incidents, the ‘bandh’ was peaceful.
According to the sources, the Western Orissa Students joint action committee (WOSJAC) had given the call against the government apathy on the region on every field espicially on education field. The demands of the student-mass include central university status to Sambalpur University , deemed University status on VSS Medical college and High court bench in western Orissa.. The action committee took such a decision after state government could not take appropriate step before the ‘deadline’ sets by the students
“We had given the government an ultimatum of Feb. 5th to fulfill our demands. When government fails to initiate any action we decided to go for Sambalpur ‘Bandh’. If the government continues to neglect on our demands we will bring out a massive agitation making the situation worst in coming days”, co-convener of the action committee, Saurav Mahapatra told.
The Bandh call given by student forum was supported by various organization and political parties including Sambalpur lawyers association and BJP. Lawyers and BJP workers joined in the picketing directly in support of the students. Members of the Bar Association closed down all judicial courts and were seen picketing in various places of the town during Bandh. The shops and commercial establishments remained closed as several merchant associations of the town were also extended their support to the students “We supported whole heartedly to the students for their cause and our members joined the agitation and helped the students mass to make the ‘Bandh’ successful”, Pradeep Bohidar, president of the Sambalpur lawyers association told.
Sambalpur-Puri intercity and Sambalpur-Rayagada intercity were delayed in running from Sambalpur station as activists did not allow trains to run in the morning. But looking to the plight of the train-passengers students activists resumed train services. “Train service was resumed with in few hours after students activists let the trains back to the tracks” an official of the division told.
“Bandh was spontaneous as every one supported it. We remained thankful to the organizations and individuals who joined in our agitation to make it successful,” the secretary of the WOSJAC Padmanav Mishra
On the other hand, situation of Gangadhar Meher College was tensed for few hours as the agitators went amok and rampaged chairs kept inside the college pendal as preparation was going on for the ensuing visit of the BJD MP Prarimohan Mahapatra to the college, who schedules to visit the college to attend annual function on Thursday. But later the matter was solved amicably by the students.
“We deployed 17 platoons of police force in the town to maintain law and order situation. Situation of GM College was tensed for sometimes but latter it was settled by the students themselves. No other untoward incident was reported”, SDPO (Sambalpur) Dilip Kumar Deo said.

Husband sold his wife for money in Bargarh

It is not the story of Thomas Hardy’s classic ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ where a clergy man auctioned his wife for 5 pounds, but it happens in a real life in Bargarh district of the state where one husband sold out his wife for just Rs.25,000/-. The fact came to light after police rescued the lady and arrested the husband on the complaint of the victim’s father. Police arrested the mediator of the deal but the purchaser remained at large as he managed to flee. Police registered a case and forwarded the accused persons on Friday after returning from MP.

“After receiving complaint from the victim’s father, we started in search of the girl. On our investigation we located her in a remote village of Chhatisgarh. The purchaser managed to abscond before we reached there. We rescued the victim girl and arrested the husband and the mediator agent on Friday”, the DSP (Bargarh) Nagendra Prasad Nayak told

Sources said, accused Pradip Sahu of Ghulipali under Bargarh police station was married to the daughter of Janma Sahi of Majhiapara under Melchhamunda police station of the district couple of year back.

On last 29^th January victim father came with an allegation against the accused for selling his daughter somewhere in Madhya Pradesh. SP (Bargarh) S Thankapan, taking the matter seriously formed a special squad to investigate the matter. Police came to know about one Dashrath Lodhi of Hirpur village under Tikamgarh district of MP who purchased the lady and kept her in his house as concubine. The special team went to Tikampur district and with the help of local police the victim girl was rescued from the Lodhi’s house. But Lodhi managed to flee before police reached to him.

“We returned the victim to her parents and arrested the husband Pradeep Sahu and one mediator Minaketan Sahu u/s 368/366/120b and 34 IPC and forwarded them to the judicial custody”, DSP Nayak added.

However when the incident has created a sharp reaction among the locals, police are yet to find out the actual reason which prompted the accused to take such a step.

“We are yet to ascertain the reason behind taking such a step by the accused person who married the lady as per rituals. Investigation is on to find out the exact circumstances and reason behind the transaction.”, DSP Nayak ascertained.

Further investigation revealed a link of the case with a racket active in woman trafficking in the region

During interrogation of the accused persons of the wife-selling incident, Bargarh police have unearthed a possible link of the case with a racket of woman-trafficking that is active in the region in the name of marriage. How-ever police are yet to confirm it because of the part of the investigation that has to be carried out in Madhya Pradesh.

“We can not make sure whether it is a part of women-trafficking or not. To confirm it we need more investigation. We are planning to depute a team to Madhya Pradesh for further investigation. But we are sure that the lady was sold by her husband for money and nothing else”, the SP (Bargarh) S Thankappan told to TOI. ‘But our investigation is opened on every possible way’, SP added.

Sources said, police rescued a married lady from Madhya Pradesh on Friday who was allegedly sold by her husband for Rs.25 thousand. Police took the step after receiving complaint from the father of the lady. The lady who conceived of 3 months pregnancy was rescued from the house of one Dashrath Lodha of Hirpur village under Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. The police returned her to her parents after medically examined her in Bargarh.

“Since our prime job was to rescue the victim lady, we did it. We also arrested both of the accused persons involved in the case, the husband of the lady and one mediator. But the purchaser is yet to be arrested as he managed to flee from his house before police’s raid”, SP (Bargarh) Thankappan told.

Sources said, accused Pradip Sahu of Ghulipali under Bargarh police station was having love affairs with the daughter of Janma Sahu of Majhiapara under Melchhamunda police station of the district and subsequently they got married in 2008. After keeping her in the house for a year, accused Pradip took her to Madhya Pradesh during Oct 2009 with the help one Minaketan Sahu of Padmapur (Bargarh) where he sold her for money. Janma Sahu, father of the victim girl lodged a compliant before the police after Pradip tried to avoid him. “I lodged the compliant with police when I did not find her”, Janma Sahu told.

On the other hand the accused Pradip confessed before the police that he was shaded for the money which prompted him to sell his wife. “I was in need of money to purchase a motor cycle for my use so when Minaketan gave the idea I agreed. We took her to Madhya Pradesh in search of job. I identified me as her brother and Minaketan as her father. We remained there for 10 days and came back leaving her in the house of Dasrath”, accused Pradip confessed during police interrogation.

Sources said, Minaketan had earlier provided several girls of the region to the people of Madhya Pradesh for marriage purpose. Convincing poor parents of the region, he had arranged several such marriages with the people of Madhya Pradesh. During the course of interrogation, he claimed to have taken only Rs.3000/- as a lion share was taken by the police and a Dalal of Madhya Pradesh who were involved in the deal. “From the statement of Minaketan we suspect a racket of women-trafficking that is active in the region. But we have to ascertained more facts to confirm our apprehension’, a senior police officer of Bargarh told.

On the other hand the victim lady was totally ignorant about her selling. She went in search of job with her husband and Minaketan. Both lied her and come back leaving her alone in the house of Dashrath who later kept her as wife. “I was forced to agree with the proposal of Dashrath as he was the brother of Sarapanch of the village”, the victim girl told.

It may be informed here that because of drastic declination of female ratio, people of Madhya Pradesh are coming to Orissa to ‘purchase’ bride. Many poor parents of the region are forced to agree with such marriage proposal because of prevent costly marriages affairs. As in such marriages they get handsome amount from the male side with out spending a pie. There are 975 girls per 1,000 boys in 1981which declines to 932 girls as per Census 2001 of Madhya Pradesh

Rossell's viper found in Sambalpur

With the help of helpline, the wildlife officials of Sambalpur rescued a Russell’s viper, one of the dangerous species of snack from Burla town on Thursday evening. The viper was later released in the Laxmi dunguri forest on Thursday. “Russell’s viper is one of the most dangerous species of snake available in India and other south Asian country. The snake can kill a man with a single bite of this snake”, Debadutta Barik of helpline, Sambalpur told while exhibit the snake in Sambalpur on Friday.

According to the wild life sources, the snake was spotted in the DAV public School premises Anand Vihar of Burla on Thursday evening. On getting information, the wildlife officials with the help of the helpline personnel caught the snake. “After we identified it as Russell’s viper, we rescued the snake with out hurting it. We released the viper in the Laxmi Dunguri jungle on Friday”, wildlife ranger (Burla) AK Mohanty told.

Souces said, the Russell's viper is one of the most dangerous snakes in all of Asia, accounting for thousands of deaths each year. Once bitten, people experience a wide variety of symptoms including pain, swelling, vomiting, dizziness and blood incoagubility and kidney failure

samavesh 2010: provides new hope and aspiration among engineering students

The 4-day techno-management festival ‘Samavesh-2010’ concluded on Sunday in newly created VSS University of technology of Burla venturing a new hope among the engineering and technical students across the state. Exploring thought and idea of the technical students participated in the festival; the institution provided a field for new innovation and experiments. Various events of the techno-management festival were designed in such a way that participants got ample scope to enrich country their technical knowledge through seminars and exhibitions.

‘It was really a nice experience to be a part of the ‘Samavesh-2010’. With limited resources the organizers had designed the event in such a manner that we feel thrilled and cheerful to participate in each event. We also felt the need of such events for technical students where we got new exposures as well as we got opportunity to share our own though and talent”, Richa Strivastav, a student of ITER, Bhubaneswar told.

The techno-festival was formulated and planned by the students of veer Surendra Sai University of Technology with the guidance and cooperation of the vice-chancellor and faculty members. Being the first major event after the institute (UCE) converts into a University in 2009, students feel happy to host the festival where more than 300 participants from various technical institutions had attended and shared their thought and experience through series of experiments and exhibitions. .Besides work-shops and guest lectures, the participants got opportunity to participate in the robotics, coding event and technical events including aero-modeling, 3dimention animation and image processing.

“We feel proud to become the host of the festival as it becomes our first major event after the intuition converted into a university. With the limited resources and sponsorship from the industrials houses of our vicinity we decided to organize such an event. We are also thankful to our VC and other faculty members along with our alumni associations for their encouragement and cooperation.” Ashis Sahoo, the secretary of the festival told.

During the festival students of host institute are getting maximum opportunity to show their talents and experiments. Students of various departments have taken part in various events looking to their taste and interest. “Though we are in civil and mechanical wing we took part in ‘robotics’ to quench our interest. We designed our robot with technical help from other students and played successfully in the event”, first year civil and mechanical students Sameekshya Padhi and Kananika Nayak of VSSUT told.

“The laser-light show and aero-modeling show made the festival lively. Students of our institution had got opportunity to take part at par with the students of various advanced institution of the state”, One of the organizing member and student of VSSUT, Arohi Kumar Barai told

Bezbaruah: famous Assamese poet resides for many years in Sambalpur

Finally state Culture department recognizes the house associated with the famous literary personality of Assam Laxminath Bezbaruah and agrees to develop it as writer’s museum of western Orissa. The culture minister has taken this decision after it was brought into his notice by journalists and educationists of western Orissa. The house has been left in dilapidated condition because of the lack of alertness of the district administration.

Every one will ask why Orissa state government will take such step and why district administration is responsible for the present condition of the house that associates with the memory of the Assamese poet Bezbaruah.

But many would be surprised to know that the house that associates with such a rare personality is located in Sambalpur town and is under the possession of the district administration where office of the Sadar Reveue inspector is functioning since a long time. The house where Laxminath Bezbaruah passed most of live and where he created many of his literary works, has been left in a dilapidated condition because of the callousness of the district administration

“We have brought this issue many times before the administration but things remain unchanged because of the lack of interest of the government officials. Finally we have brought this issue into the kind notice of the state culture minister Debi Prasad Mishra during his visit to the Sambalpur who agreed to take up this issue”, senior scribe of Sambalpur, Deepak Panda told.

Souce said, Laxminath Bezbaruah was one of the profound literary figures of Assamese language. He was residing with his parents in the house located near Mandela chowck. He resides in the house from 1878 to 1938 in connection with timber business and most of his literary works he did in the said house. Many of the people of the literary circle of Assam visit the place and express unhappiness over the delegated condition of the house,

‘The natural beauty of Sambalpur has mentioned many a times in the works of the poet and the Sambalpur has become a pious place for the people of Assam because of the poet who passes most of his life in the town’, a visitor from Assam told.

The house has been in a broken condition because of the poor maintenance since a long time and unless immediate attention is taken the house may collapse in any time. “The minister has directed the commissioner-cum-secretary of culture department to take immediate step to restore the house to convert it as a writer’s museum. The minister also requested the WODC to give financial assistance to meet the requirement” retired administrator Debendra Mishra told.

Ironically the former chief minister of Orissa JB Patanik has been appointed as the Governor of Assam recently. So his office would also take an active role to strengthen the proposed museum in the memory of the great poet of that state.

2010: year begins with hunting corrupt police

Vigilance police have caught as many as 6 corrupted police officers of the undivided Sambalpur district over a period of one month which has created panic official circle of the region. These officers are caught red handed while they were accepting illegal gratification for discharging their official duties. Vigilance police registered cases against them and sent to the jail custody under prevention of corruption act. How over one inspector has been still at large as he managed to slip from the grip of the vigilance police.

“Because of the cooperation of the general public we caught these officials. We made these possible because of the awareness of the people at large. We continue our endeavor in a greater way if people would extend their cooperation and help to minimize corruption in public offices” SP (vigilance) Northern Division, Sambalpur A K Sahu told.

Sources from the vigilance department revealed that IIC of Burla and Thelkolei police stations of Sambalpur district have been booked for allegedly accepting bribes to discharge their official duties on 14^th January and 26^th January respectively. While IIC Burla Bijay Nayak managed to slip from the grip of the vigilance, IIC Thelkolei Pradeep dash was arrested and forwarded to judicial custody. Both were indulged in illegal gratification. However the sub-inspector of Burla police station Sarat Samnatray and Sub-inspector of Thelkolei police station Subash Bhoi got arrested for helping their respective inspectors and sharing the bribe amount.

“We could not arrest inspector Bijay Nayak because he managed to escape from Burla but we arrested Burla SI Sarat Samantray with bribe money of Rs. 3000/- and inspector Pradeep Dash and SI Subash Bhoi with bribe money of Rs. 2000/- from their pockets. Infect inspector Pradeep was about to slip from our grip biting the hand of one our constable but thanks to the sincerity of the constable who caught hold him in spite of the injuries”, vigilance inspector Prabir Tripathy told.

In similar case, Asst. Sub-Inspector of Reamal police station of Deogarh district Bipin Bihari Hota and sub-inspector of Badmal police station of Jharsuguda district Iswar Kumar Patel were caught by the vigilance police on 13^th and 14^th January respective while they were accepting bribe of Rs. 3000/- and Rs.8000/- respective. Vigilance police registered cases against them and sent to the judicial custody.

“Unless we receive a complaint from the beneficiary it becomes difficult to conduct a trap against any officer. In each case we need a complainant. So we appeal the people to come forward to register a voice against any officer incase he/she demands for an illegal gratification to discharge the official duties”, SP (vigilance) AK Sahu added.