New Delhi [India], August 3 : After a 15-year-old girl from Puri succumbed to burn injuries while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in the national capital, Biju Janata Dal leader Amar Patnaik said that these incidents are a grim reminder of the failing law and order situation in Odisha.
The 15-year-old was allegedly set on fire by miscreants in the Balanga area of Odisha's Puri district on July 19. She was moved to AIIMS Delhi for treatment, where she succumbed to the injuries on Saturday.
Speaking with ANI, Amar Patnaik said, "Every day we hear such stories in Odisha...These incidents are a grim reminder of the failing law and order situation in the state, particularly as far as women are concerned...Odisha was known as a peaceful state, and that image has been shattered beyond words"
Additionally, Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka raised questions about the Odisha government over the arrest of perpetrators.
"The people behind this incident have not been arrested till now...When will the state government wake up?... The Odisha government is against women...The state government should ensure that such incidents don't recur in the future," he said.
According to the police, the minor girl went out with her friends, but she was allegedly abducted midway and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire. The victim reached someone's house from the incident spot, after which she was taken to the hospital by her cousin.
The girl, who sustained 75 per cent burns, was initially admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. She was then airlifted to AIIMS Delhi for treatment, where she passed away yesterday.
Earlier, Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed condolences over the death of a 15-year-old girl.
In a post on X, Patnaik said, "Deeply saddened and anguished to know that the young girl set on fire in the #Balanga area of #Puri District passed away while undergoing treatment in AIIMS. My condolences to the young girl and prayers are with the family members in their hour of grief. May God give the family members strength to bear this irreparable loss."
In another incident last month, a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore immolated herself in protest of the alleged sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD).
Both incidents have sparked outrage against the Odisha government with opposition alleging that the law and order of the state has "failed."