Bhubaneswar, Dec 8 (IANS) Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday expressed deep shock and anger over the tragic death of a female college student who was set ablaze in Lanjibenda, Rajgangpur, questioning the state government’s response to the crime.

The victim, identified as a local college student, succumbed to severe burns after being attacked, triggering widespread outrage across the state.

In a social media post, Patnaik described the incident as “extremely heartbreaking” and offered his condolences to the bereaved family, while also raising serious concerns regarding the government’s alleged inaction.

“The victim’s family had reportedly informed authorities about prior threats to her life. Despite this, no effective steps were taken to prevent the tragedy,” the former Chief Minister said, directly attributing the failure to the government.

He further questioned the ruling dispensation’s handling of the law and order situation, asking, “How many more innocent lives will be lost before concrete action is taken to curb such crimes?”

Patnaik alleged that the government’s indifference toward the rising incidents of violence in the state is emboldening criminals. The student’s death marks another serious lapse, recalling similar fatal incidents involving students in Odisha in the recent past that highlighted systemic failures in security.

Saying that the Rajgangpur case underlined the need for stronger vigilance, the BJD president asserted that people are increasingly feeling unsafe while offenders “roam freely” and urged the state government to take “immediate and stringent action against the accused.”

He urged the administration to act firmly and decisively to restore law and order and enhance public safety throughout Odisha.

The latest incident adds to a growing number of crimes against women reported across Odisha in the past few months.

In August, a schoolgirl in Balangir district was found dead under suspicious circumstances after she had complained of stalking.

In another case in May, a nursing student in Jajpur was assaulted near her hostel, leading to statewide protests. Women’s groups have said that these cases reflect a widening gap in preventive policing and delayed response to early warnings.

–IANS

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