Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 30 : The Odisha units of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha and Mahila Morcha on Tuesday staged a joint protest against Biju Janata Dal (BJD) corporator Amresh Jena and Congress NSUI Odisha president Udit Pradhan over their alleged involvement in separate rape cases.
The protest comes amid rising concerns over crimes against women in the state, with both leaders being arrested in connection with serious charges in recent days.
On July 27, BJD corporator Amresh Jena was arrested in Balasore district in connection with a rape case after allegedly evading arrest for several days. The BJD subsequently suspended Jena from the party.
According to Laxmisagar police, five individuals were earlier arrested and booked for aiding Jena in evading arrest. Police said the accused provided him with transport and shelter.
The five arrested have been identified as Bibek Kumar Swain (29), Bikram Mohanty (42), Debendra Kumar Bhola alias Bulu (45), Suman Kumar Sahoo (27), and Rajib Champati (45).
They have been forwarded under sections 64(2)(m), 89, 296, 351(2), 61(2), 249, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
Meanwhile, on July 19, the President of the Congress party's student wing in Odisha was arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a 20-year-old girl student at a college in Bhubaneswar.
The accused, identified as Udit Pradhan, has been arrested by the Odisha police, according to information provided by the Odisha Police Commissionerate. Pradhan is the President of the Odisha National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Indian National Congress.
As per the police, the incident happened on Friday night when the girl was allegedly given an intoxicating substance in a drink by the accused before he allegedly committed the offence. The incident reportedly took place in a hotel in Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar.
Police said, "There has been an allegation by a girl student about giving an intoxicated substance in a drink and then of rape in a hotel against one Udit Pradhan".
"On the basis of the report submitted by the victim, FIR has been registered at the Mancheswar Police Station and the accused Udit Pradhan has been arrested", the Police said.