New Delhi [India], July 21 : A Biju Janata Dal (BJD) delegation comprising Rajya Sabha MPs Sasmit Patra, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj, Sulata Deo and Niranjan Bishi visited AIIMS here on Monday and met with the 15-year-old girl, who was set ablaze in Puri.
The delegation interacted with the attending doctors to enquire about the victim's medical condition and ongoing treatment. They also met with the family members of the victim and assured them of all possible support.
The minor girl, who suffered 70% burn injuries, was airlifted to AIIMS Delhi on Sunday.
The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Balanda police station in the Nimapada block of Puri district. According to her cousin, the 15-year-old girl, who had gone out with friends, was abducted and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire by unidentified miscreants. Severely burnt, she managed to reach a nearby house from where she was rushed to the hospital.
Earlier, Congress leader Srikant Jena expressed deep concern over the horrific incident
Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Jena described the incident as an "unfortunate development" following the recent tragedy at Fakir Mohan (FM) Autonomous College in Balasore, where a 20-year-old student died from self-immolation in protest over alleged inaction on her sexual harassment complaint.
"This is an unfortunate development after the FM College incident... The image of the state has been completely tarnished. Odisha was a peaceful state, but now every day you'll find such atrocities happening in the state... Why is the government not proactively taking steps so that this kind of thing doesn't happen anywhere in the future? I don't think the government has learned any lesson from the Balasore incident..," he said.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former MP Amar Patnaik condemned the brutal attack, stating that the law and order situation in the state has gone for a toss.
Speaking to ANI on Saturday, BJD leader Patnaik said, "Such unfortunate incidents are taking place one after the other. An impression about Odisha is being created that there is no law and order in the state. Criminals do not fear anyone. The victim was just walking on the road and going somewhere. She was pulled aside, tied to a tree, and set on fire. This happened in broad daylight... The law and order situation in the state has gone for a toss. The government is unable to do anything." Demanding exemplary punishment, Patnaik added, "Such a strict action must be taken against the accused that all criminals think twice before committing any crime..."