Bhubaneswar/Rayagada: Odisha State Commission for Women (SCW) Monday recorded the statement of the victim of molestation and disrobing during a mob attack on two NGO workers in Rayagada district, while the NCW has sought an action taken report (ATR) from the DGP Odisha of the incident within seven days.
Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports that the incident took place following false rumours of “child kidnappers”, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has also sought details of the FIR and the provisions invoked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the status of the investigation and arrests made, action taken against those responsible for spreading rumours, medical care, counselling, and rehabilitation provided to the survivor.
It also wanted a report on the measures adopted to ensure the safety of NGO workers and interns, and steps taken to prevent mob vigilantism through community policing and public awareness campaigns.
Odisha SCW chairperson Sovana Mohanty said she spoke to the 22-year-old woman NGO worker, who was allegedly molested and disrobed by a mob on the night of June 16 at Kalyansinghpur police station jurisdiction.
“I spoke to the victim over video conferencing and assured her that justice will be done to her and all culprits will be arrested,” Mohanty told reporters while expressing deep concern over the incident that created an uproar across the nation.
The Crime Against Women & Children Wing (CAW&CW) of the Crime Branch-CID also began monitoring the investigation.
The incident took place near Kandulguda village under Kalyansinghpur police limits on the night of June 16, when two NGO workers, a young woman from Delhi and her male colleague from Gujarat, were travelling from Kandhamal’s Daringbadi to Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi district.
Both lost their way and landed at a place under the Kalyansinghpur police station area in Rayagada district. They were allegedly mistaken for child lifters and attacked by a mob of over 100 people.
Meanwhile, police conducted a flag march in the Kalyansingpur area to restore normalcy and raise awareness against rumour-mongering. The flag march commenced from the premises of Kalyansinghpur police station and proceeded up to the State Bank Square.
The police officers during the march urged citizens not to believe in rumours, refrain from spreading unverified information, and avoid taking the law into their own hands.
While 21 people had so far been arrested in connection, police said more people would be nabbed based on the video footage and circumstantial evidence.
While terming the incident as “highly unfortunate”, IGP Shyni S, head of CAW&CW, said that her department will monitor the investigation related to the assault on the woman NGO worker.
The police will also probe into the physical attack on a woman police officer, Kalpana Behera, the Inspector in charge of Kalyansinghpur police station. She was also attacked by the mob while trying to save the woman NGO worker and her male colleague.
Noting that what has happened at Kalyansinghpur is “very bad”, the IGP said a large group, many allegedly intoxicated, targeted the woman based on baseless allegations. “This reflects an attitude beyond the allegation of branding them as child lifters,” she stressed.
Syni, at the same time, praised a local youth, Balaram Bag, who mustered courage and saved the woman NGO worker from the mob. “He has set an example, and I hope the rest of society will show similar sensitivity and respect toward women,” the IGP said.
She appealed to people not to take the law into their own hands and engage in physical violence if they found anything wrong in public.
