Bhubaneswar:

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged torture of an Army officer and the sexual assault of his fiancee at a police station here.

The state government is committed to taking strict action against all persons or officials who are found guilty, the chief minister said.

He issued the order for judicial inquiry after a discussion with his deputy chief ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, Law Minister Pritihiviraj Harichandan and senior officers.

According to a statement released by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the judicial inquiry will be presided over by Justice Chittaranjan Das and the report will be filed within 60 days.

The state government also requested the Orissa High Court to supervise the investigation being carried out by the Crime Branch of the Odisha Police.

While emphasising on the rule of the law, Chief Minister Majhi said the state government respects the Indian Army. “The state government is fully concerned about the dignity, safety and rights of women,” the CMO said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the state government has suspended five police personnel of the Bharatpur police station and registered a case against them over the charges of torturing the Army officer and sexually harassing his fiancee.

The state government also maintained the youths who were accused of misbehaving with the Army officer and his fiancee on the road on the night of September 15 were arrested and produced in court.

Earlier, on the instructions of the chief minister, the complainants held a meeting with the two deputy chief ministers, the revenue minister and the law minister at the State Guest House. The woman’s father and other senior serving Army officers were also present, the CMO said.

BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik had demanded a court monitored SIT probe and a judicial inquiry into the incident. The opposition party has also called for a Bhubaneswar bandh on September 24.

The alleged incident took place on September 15 when an army officer posted in West Bengal and his fiancee approached Bharatpur police station to lodge a complaint of road rage in which some local youths allegedly harassed them.

However, a verbal altercation took place between the duo and some policemen following which the officer and his fiancee were allegedly assaulted at the police station. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhubaneswar:

In a significant move towards public engagement, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday revived public grievance hearings after a hiatus of 16 years.

Charan Majhi personally listened to the grievances of people, issuing necessary instructions to officials concerned.

“After 16 years, the chief minister’s grievance cell was opened to the public. Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik had visited the cell for the last time in 2008. People can directly come and apprise me of their problems,” Mr Majhi said in a post on X.

ଦୀର୍ଘ ୧୬ ବର୍ଷ ପରେ ସାଧାରଣ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଖୋଲାଗଲା ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଅଭିଯୋଗ ପ୍ରକୋଷ୍ଠ । ୨୦୦୮ ମସିହାରେ ଶେଷଥର ପାଇଁ ପୂର୍ବତନ ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ନବୀନ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକ ଏଠାକୁ ଆସିଥିଲେ । ଲୋକଙ୍କ ସରକାରରେ ଆଜିଠାରୁ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଖୋଲା ରହିବ ଅଭିଯୋଗ ପ୍ରକୋଷ୍ଠ, ଲୋକେ ସିଧାସଳଖ ଆସି ମୋ ସହ ଭେଟି ନିଜର ସମସ୍ଯା ଜଣାଇପାରିବେ । pic.twitter.com/bQBjb0QLg5

— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) July 1, 2024

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), more than 5,000 people visited the grievance cell, and 1,540 grievances were registered during the day.

The Chief Minister, along with Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo and Ministers Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Pradeep Balasamanta, and Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, heard grievances from more than 1,000 people.

Speaking to reporters, Majhi said his government prioritises listening to public issues and addressing them. Therefore, the new government has resumed the public grievance hearing programme in all 30 districts and at the state level, he added.

“An iron wall had been erected between the government and the public during the tenure of the previous government. The wall has been removed, and the Chief Minister’s grievance cell resumed its function today,” he said.

Now, people can apprise the government of their various problems for speedy resolution. Senior officers and district collectors have been directed to hear the grievances of people, the CM said.

Majhi advised the public to first approach the authorities at the district level with their problems for quick redressal. He expressed hope that there would be fewer complaints at the state level in the coming days as most public grievances would be resolved at the district level.

The CM informed that action has so far been initiated on around 99 per cent of the grievances received on the first day of the programme.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)