Bhubaneswar: The state BJP Thursday castigated the Jajpur police and the members of the ruling party by saying that they had used the local Rangashalas (guest houses) at different places in the district for illegal activities.
The saffron party levelled the allegations while discussing the recent rape of a minor girl from the area. Speaking to the media Thursday, Odisha BJP spokesperson Lekhashri Samantsinghar fired salvos at the state government and the Jajpur police over the shameful incident.
“This validates my apprehension that under the Jajpur police, rapists are buoyed. The new case comes within three months after the mysterious death of PEO Smita Rani Biswal. And here we have an SP who goes on for character assassination of the victims in such cases but fails to conduct an impartial probe,” she said.
She also accused the police of shielding the prime accused in the rape case whose relatives are said to be working at Dharmasala police station. “How can we expect justice if the relatives of the rape accused are into police and trying to interfere with the probe. The rape victim has said on record that she has been pressurised not to name the police officials who are the relatives of the prime accused,” she said.
She also reiterated that the local Rangashalas, allegedly constructed with the involvement of some local political leaders and a cement company, are being used for carrying out illegal activities like abduction and rape.
“In the case of Smita Rani, one Rangashala was used and in this case of abduction and rape of a minor such buildings are again used. We believe such structures have been centres to carry out illegal activities and the police and the local party leaders are doing nothing about it,” she said.
Lekhashri also said that a delegation of BJP leaders went to the village of the rape victim and met the families to take stock of the situation. The delegation has expressed reservations against the ongoing probe by the local police and accused them of selectively letting off a few of the accused in the case.
