Alleging a total collapse of law and order in Odisha and demanding justice for the victims of the three recent self-immolation deaths in different parts of the state, the opposition Congress, on Friday, staged a protest by gheraoing the office of the Director General of Police (DGP) in Cuttack.
The party took to the streets to protest the alleged mishandling of two recent burn incidents at FM College in Balasore and Bayabara (Balanga) village in Puri.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das stated that the party had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government and Odisha Police. The demand was for the arrest of three miscreants who allegedly set a 16-year-old girl on fire in the Balanga area of Puri district on July 19.
The girl passed away on August 2 after a 14-day struggle at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Das said that, since the police failed to arrest the accused, the party has been staging a gherao of the DGP’s office on Friday.
“Police should not come under the influence of politicians and must arrest all the accused. If they fail to do so even after the gherao of the DGP office, then all police stations across the state will be gheraoed,” warned the OPCC president.
Das further alleged that the police are trying to shield the culprits under pressure from their political bosses.
Das alleged that crimes against women are increasing in the state due to a lack of action against offenders. In a letter to the Odisha DGP on Friday, the OPCC president demanded an immediate investigation and the arrest of all three accused in the Balanga case, based on the statements of the victim and her parents.
The OPCC also called for action against those who failed to register an FIR for a female student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. The student had complained of sexual harassment by a faculty member.
Led a massive protest outside DGP Office, Cuttack along with senior Congress leaders today.
Odisha has been witnessing cases of women atrocities every day but our CM is not at all bothered about their Asmita.
We will not rest until justice is served to the families of victims. pic.twitter.com/sRc5DGhYgo
— Bhakta Charan Das (@BhaktaCharanDas) August 8, 2025
Failing to get any justice, the FM college female student committed self-immolation near the Principal’s chamber on July 12 and later succumbed while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in Bhubaneswar.
The opposition Congress has also demanded strict action against the police official who allegedly failed to accept a complaint from a girl in the Pattamundai area in Kendrapara district. The girl died by self-immolation on August 6, reportedly due to blackmail by her ex-boyfriend.
The Congress party also stated that steps should be taken immediately to implement the ‘Zero FIR’ policy, which was announced by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
