Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today launched a massive statewide demonstration, gheraoing all three Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) offices in Cuttack, Berhampur, and Sambalpur. The protests come in the wake of two deeply unsettling incidents: the tragic death of Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College in Balasore, and the horrific burning of a minor girl in Balanga, Puri.
Led by senior party leaders including Debi Prasad Mishra,Prasanna Achrya, Pratap Jena , the BJD intensified its attack on the state government, citing a severe breakdown in law and order and a alarming rise in crimes against women. The party’s primary demand is a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court into Soumyashree’s death, alleging systemic failure and negligence by authorities.
Soumyashree Bisi had tragically succumbed to burn injuries on July 14 after attempting self-immolation on her college campus on July 12. The BJD alleges that her complaints of harassment went unaddressed, leading to her desperate act. Similarly, the incident of a minor girl being set ablaze in Balanga has further fueled public outrage and the BJD’s call for accountability.
Speaking to the media in Cuttack, BJD Vice President Debi Prasad Mishra highlighted alarming statistics, claiming “15 rapes per day” and expressing concern that even international bodies like the American government have issued travel advisories for women in Odisha. He emphasized that the protests reflect the collective anguish of the youth and civil society over the perceived lack of safety for women in public and institutional spaces.
In Sambalpur, Deputy Opposition Leader in Odisha Assembly, Prasanna Acharya, lamented the collapse of law and order in the state, stating, “This is a reflection of Odisha’s collective outrage. Women are not safe. Students are being attacked in public.”
The BJD has vehemently rejected the ongoing Crime Branch inquiry into Soumyashree’s death, asserting that it would be insufficient to examine the systemic lapses involving political, institutional, and administrative failures. In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, the party stressed that a judicial inquiry is the only mechanism to ensure a transparent, credible, and independent investigation.
The current protests are an escalation of the BJD’s agitation, which began on July 15 following Soumyashree’s death. Earlier, on July 16, BJD workers had clashed with police during an attempt to gherao the Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, with several senior leaders sustaining injuries.
The BJD has vowed to continue and intensify its agitation, threatening to gherao the Odisha Assembly if their demand for a judicial inquiry is not met. The party maintains that neither police action nor government pressure will deter their resolve to fight for justice and ensure the safety of women in the state.