Women Not Safe in Odisha, Says AICC Fact-Finding Team After Gang Rape Probe

Bhubaneswar: A fact-finding team from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has raised serious concerns about women’s safety in Odisha, claiming that the state has witnessed a disturbing surge in sexual violence, including gang rapes and disappearances of women and children. The team asserted that even the Chief Minister’s home district is no exception.

The five-member delegation, led by former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Deepa Dasmunsi, visited Gopalpur, Tikabali, and Harichandanpur between June 21 and 23 to investigate recent cases of gang rape and atrocities against women. Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Monday, Dasmunsi said, “We are returning with a heavy heart. The situation on the ground is alarming. Women in Odisha are living in fear.”

The team met with victims’ families, villagers, local leaders, police officials, and district administrators during their visit to gather first-hand insights into the incidents. Dasmunsi expressed disappointment over the Chief Minister’s refusal to meet the delegation. “We wanted to share our findings directly with him to highlight the growing violence against women, but he did not make time for us. This reflects a shocking level of insensitivity,” she remarked.

The Congress team cited multiple disturbing incidents, including the gang rape in Gopalpur, the rape and murder of a minor girl in the CM’s district, and a sharp rise in the number of missing women and children across Odisha. “These are no longer isolated incidents—they’ve become daily headlines,” Dasmunsi said.

Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan alleged a deep-rooted nexus between liquor and drug mafias and the ruling establishment, accusing the state government of enabling a climate of impunity. “Criminals are roaming free, without fear of law or justice,” she stated.

Former Women’s Congress leader Shobha Oja revealed disturbing statistics: “In Odisha, a child faces abuse every five kilometers, and another goes missing every ten kilometers. These are not just numbers, but a reflection of the grim reality.”

Praniti Shinde, MP from Solapur, lamented the fall from grace for a culturally rich state like Odisha. “Today, Odisha is in the news not for its heritage or progress, but for rape, corruption, and administrative failure,” she said.

The team plans to submit a detailed report to the Congress central leadership and raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament. Drawing a historical parallel, Dasmunsi recalled how a Congress government once fell in Odisha following the Anjana Mishra rape case, adding that the current situation is far worse, yet the government remains “a mute spectator.”

Concluding their remarks, the AICC team stated that the “double-engine government”—a reference to the BJP’s alliance with the state government—has utterly failed in its responsibility to protect women and children in Odisha.