Balasore/Bhubaneswar, Dec 30 (PTI) Even as Odisha Police arrested three persons on charges of assaulting two women over allegations that they were attempting religious conversion of some tribal families in Balasore district, Opposition BJD on Monday alleged that the prime accused was allowed to go scot-free due to his links with ruling BJP leaders.
According to police, the arrests were made on Sunday and two cases have been filed at Remuna police station. Police action followed a viral video showing two women being tied to a tree and assaulted in public view for allegedly attempting forced conversions of tribal families in Gobardhanpur village on Thursday.
“So far, three people have been arrested. We are taking stringent action to ensure there is no law and order situation in the area,” Balasore SP Raj Prasad told reporters. He added that a case and a counter case had been filed at the police station.
The accused were booked under relevant sections of the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and BNS. Additionally, another case was registered against the two women under Section 4 of the Odisha Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, and sections 299 (deliberate and malicious insult of a religion), 3(5) (joint criminal liability), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of BNS, police said.
The SP said the police have issued notices to seven people in separate cases and a senior officer is investigating the matter.
DIG, Eastern Range, Balasore in a post on X said, “Remuna PS Case No 223/24 has been registered in connection with the atrocity committed against two women. Three accused individuals have been arrested and forwarded to court. Further investigation is underway, and stringent measures will be taken against the culprits.” Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Opposition BJD leader Lekhashree Samantsinghar alleged that members of the ruling BJP were behind the assault. “The prime accused, Badal Panda, who is seen in the video, was not arrested because of his close proximity to Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi and Nilagiri MLA Santosh Khatua,” Samantsinghar claimed.
She also presented photographs showing Badal Panda with BJP MP Sarangi and MLA Khatua. “The BJD will fight for justice for the victimised women. We will approach the ST/SC Commission, National Human Rights Commission, and Women’s Commission,” Samantsinghar added.
BJP MP Sarangi dismissed the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. “I have condemned the assault on the women, including tying them to a tree. Assaulting women is not part of Hinduism. I have instructed the Balasore SP to arrest all those involved in the incident. You can ask the Balasore SP about my instructions,” Sarangi told PTI.
Regarding his photograph with the prime accused, Sarangi said, “He (Panda) is not a BJP member. I do not know him personally, nor do I have any links with the accused. As a politician, I meet many people, and the picture might have been taken in a public gathering.” Earlier, senior Congress leader and former OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik also condemned the incident and demanded stringent action against the accused.
Earlier during the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X, “On one hand, a Dalit youth was killed in police custody in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. On the other hand, tribal women were tied to trees and beaten in Balasore, Odisha.” “Both these incidents are sad, shameful and highly condemnable. Due to the Manuvadi thinking of the BJP, such incidents are happening one after another in the states ruled by them – this is not possible without the support of the government,” Gandhi said. PTI COR AAM RG AAM MNB
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