Bhubaneswar, April 21 (IANS) After reports surfaced regarding the alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the Brahmagiri area of Puri district, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday came down heavily on the state government, alleging that the safety of women and children has deteriorated in the state.​

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, BJD vice-president and former minister Sanjay Kumar Dasburma has expressed deep concern over the incident. He claimed that the safety of women and children in the state is worsening by the day.​

“Despite repeated protests and demands by the BJD and other opposition parties, the BJP-led state government has failed to take appropriate action to stop such heinous crimes against women,” Dasburma alleged.​

He further claimed that such incidents are being reported frequently at tourist destinations across the state.​

“Brahmagiri is located near Chilika Lake, which is one of the major tourist attractions. Incidents like these are adversely affecting the state’s tourism prospects. Therefore, the police should immediately arrest the accused by treating the matter seriously and ensuring exemplary action is taken in the matter,” he added.​

He also informed that a BJD fact-finding team will visit the spot soon, meet the victim, and collect detailed information regarding the incident, following which the party will present its stand.​

Meanwhile, the regional party has constituted a nine-member delegation which will visit the victim’s village and meet the victim’s family.​

“The delegation will assess the situation on the ground, interact with local police officials and school authorities, and gather relevant information regarding the incident. The delegation aims to ensure that justice is delivered swiftly and that all necessary support is extended to the victim and her family. The team will also review the circumstances surrounding the incident and submit a detailed report to the party president for further action,” informed the party in a press statement.​

Notably, the victim girl, who was standing near her residence, was allegedly taken away by the accused to an isolated spot and sexually abused on Sunday. The seriously injured girl was later rushed to a nearby Community Health Centre for treatment.​

On Tuesday, the Superintendent of Police of Puri district, Prateek Singh, told reporters that, after receiving information from the hospital authorities on Monday, the Brahmagiri police registered a case and launched a manhunt to nab the absconding accused.​

–IANS

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