Bhubaneswar: Several civil society organisations (CSOs) in Odisha Wednesday condemned the gangrape and subsequent death of a Dalit girl of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh and sought immediate action against the culprits.
The 19-year-old rape victim, who was gangraped and left paralyzed by four upper caste men, died a fortnight after the heinous incident at a Delhi hospital Tuesday.
The girl was dragged by her stole around her neck to a field before she was raped by four men September 14 when she had gone to collect fodder. The assault caused spinal injuries to her. A week after she was hospitalised, the girl told the police that she had been gangraped. She also named all the accused.
The voluntary outfits demanded stringent action against the culprits involved in the gruesome incident.
“What is the solution to these kinds of crimes against women in our country where their safety is at stake? It is indeed a sad and shameful day for our country. We failed our daughters as a nation,” said Anjan Pradhan, a local CSO member.
As per latest government data, India recorded an average of 87 rape cases daily in 2019 and altogether 4,05,861 cases of crimes against women during the year – a 7 per cent rise as compared to 2018.
“Nirbhaya’s rapists were hanged earlier this year but cases are still rising and the latest case again puts a big question mark on justice and law and order situation in the country,” said Naba Kishore Pujari, another activist.