December 31st 2024.
In the district of Balasore, Odisha, a shocking incident occurred where two women were brutally assaulted by a mob on allegations of attempting religious conversion among tribal families. The prime accused in this case, Badal Panda, was finally arrested on Monday, as announced by DIG Satyajit Naik during a press conference.
According to the DIG, Badal Panda, who hails from Kansa village in Nilagiri police station area, was identified as the main culprit and was taken into custody. This brings the total number of arrests in this case to four. The incident took place last Thursday in Gobardhanpur village and a video of the brutal assault had gone viral on social media platforms, causing outrage nationwide and sparking a political debate in the state.
Following the uproar, two cases were registered in connection with the incident and the National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognisance of the matter. They sought a report from Odisha DGP YB Khurania within three days, directing for a fair and timely investigation to be conducted. The NCW posted on X, stating, "The NCW has taken note of a shocking incident in Balasore, Odisha where two tribal women were mercilessly beaten and tied to a tree on suspicion of religious conversion. FIRs have been filed against both the women and their attackers. The Commission has ordered for a thorough investigation and a detailed report to be submitted within 3 days."
The DIG assured that the police immediately took action and rescued the women, in addition to arresting the accused. He also mentioned that the police are looking into another case where it was alleged that the women were involved in religious conversion activities. "Some people have been issued notices in this case as well. There is an allegation of conversion and the villagers had also protested," he stated.
The incident has caused a stir in the community and the authorities are taking necessary steps to ensure that justice is served and peace is maintained in the district. The police are determined to get to the bottom of the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice. The safety and well-being of all citizens, regardless of their beliefs, is of utmost importance and will be protected by the law.
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