The Odisha Congress has announced a week-long series of protests, dubbed ‘Nari Naya Yatra,’ from August 8 to 14, to address the alarming surge in crimes against women across the state. State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das revealed plans to gherao the Director General of Police (DGP) office in Cuttack on August 8 at 10 AM, demanding the arrest of three suspects accused of setting a 19-year-old girl on fire in Puri’s Balanga on July 19. The girl succumbed to her injuries on August 2 at SCB Medical College and Hospital.

Das, addressing a press conference, recalled a seven-day ultimatum issued to the police, accusing them of inaction. On August 10, Congress will lead a march from the victim’s village in Balanga to Nimapada town, culminating in a public meeting to rally support from women, students, and youth. The party also plans a similar protest in Balasore on August 14, seeking justice for a 20-year-old student who allegedly set herself on fire on July 9 after authorities failed to act on her sexual harassment complaint against a professor at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College. She died on July 14 at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

The Balanga case has sparked controversy, with the victim’s family alleging foul play by three miscreants, while police and the victim’s father, in a video statement, claimed it was a suicide driven by emotional distress. Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has called for a six-hour hartal in Puri district on August 7, from 6 AM to 12 PM, demanding justice for the Balanga victim. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty emphasized the need for accountability.

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The protests highlight growing public outrage over women’s safety in Odisha, with 2,151 rape cases and 1,071 molestation cases reported in 2024, per state crime records. Congress accuses the BJP-led government of failing to curb violence, citing delays in arrests and investigations. The yatra aims to pressure authorities and amplify demands for stricter enforcement and justice.

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