women assembled demanding arrest of Paikmal rapists

Thousands of women stalled the streets of Paikmal town for hours on Wednesday demanding the immediate arrest of the accused persons including the local block chairman in the much hype dalit girl gang-rape case occurred two month ago (May 11th). Female activists across the party line assembled under the banner of “Nari Jagaran Manch’ at local Dharmasala, where a brief meeting was organized under president-ship of woman activist Hina Tripathy who addressed the gathering. Agitators went round the street and submitted a memorandum to the government through BDO. They also demonstrated before the house of block chairman on the way to the block.
“This gathering was aimed to give moral support to the rape victim and to protest against the delay in arresting the accused persons. Our demands include the arrest of accused persons involved in the case including Kunal Singh Barhia, the relation of a local minister. We also demand immediate arrest of block Chairman Mahesh Agrawal and his removal from the post of block chairman and social and moral protection to the rape victim”, Hina Tripathy told.
Sources said, a 24 years unmarried Dalit girl of Bhukhamunda under Paikmal police station of the Bargarh district had been to Paikmal block office on Monday (11th May) and met the chairman Mahesh Agrawal to enquire about her employment in the Anganwadi post for which she had applied earlier. The chairman sent her with one Gananidhi Nag to look after the matter. Gananidhi took her to a godown belongs to one Sajan Agrawal where she was raped by more than 3 persons including Gananidhi and Sajan Agrawal. Later they threatened to do away with her if she made it public. Police registered a case against Gunanidhi, Sajan, Pintu Pradhan and block chairman Mahesh Agrawal but could not arrest them as they managed to abscond after the incident. Later the case was handed over to crime branch police following the name of a cabinet minister of Naveen Patniak’s government was associated in the case for shielding accused persons.
Crime branch police arrested one accused Gunanidhi from Raipur soon after it took investigation but the other accused are still at large. The CB police could not arrest the block chairman as he managed to get an interim bail order from the High court. “Crime branch police should move to the Supreme Court against the order of High court to arrest the prime accused Mahesh Agrawal”, congress leader Asima Mahanand contented.
On the other hand the activists made severe allegation of political pressure on both local and crime branch police to keep accused Kunal out from the case. “Being the nephew of a cabinet minister, police tried to keep name of Kunal away from the case. Why he was not brought before the victim during TI parade”, asked the BJP leader Sushama Barik.
“We have given an ultimatum of 7 days to the government to take up the matter as per our demand. In case government fails to arrest the accused persons of the gang rape, we have decided to intensify our agitation.” Rudana Bhoi, activist and chairman of Gandhamardhan Surakhya Parisad told. “I received the memorandum of Nari Jagaran Manch addressed to the Chief Minister. I will send it to the government immediately”, the BDO of Paikmal block Laxman Amat told.