Bhubaneswar Bandh: BJD Calls for 6-Hour Shutdown Protesting Assault of Army Officer, His Fiancee

Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD called Bhubaneswar shutdown on Tuesday, protesting the alleged assault of an Army officer and his fiancee in police custody.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo said the hartal will be held for six hours from 6 am till noon.

BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said, "Our party president, Naveen Patnaik , is shocked over the incident. The custodial torture and sexual assault incident has shamed Odisha . The bandh will be observed to intensify the protest against police brutality. After much discussion, we have decided to call for the six-hour bandh in Bhubaneswar." Patnaik on Friday demanded a court-monitored SIT probe and a judicial inquiry into the matter.

The BJD has also submitted a memorandum addressed to President Dorupadi Murmu and sought her intervention.

The Army officer and his fiancee were allegedly assaulted when they went to the Bharatpur police station to lodge a complaint after they were harassed in an incident of road rage.

The fiancee claimed she was sexually abused after being arrested by the police who alleged she misbehaved with on-duty officers. She also alleged that the Army officer was illegally detained and tortured. 

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