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The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the opposition party in Odisha, has called for a six-hour shutdown in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, protesting the alleged assault of an Army officer and his fiancée in police custody. This incident has sparked widespread outrage and fueled demands for accountability from the police department. The BJD, led by Naveen Patnaik, has condemned the alleged custodial torture and sexual assault, deeming it a shameful incident that reflects poorly on the state of law enforcement in Odisha.
The call for a shutdown was announced by BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo during a press conference on Sunday. The hartal, as it is called, will be observed from 6 am to noon. BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra emphasized the party's deep concern over the incident, stating that the party president, Naveen Patnaik, was shocked by the alleged brutality. The bandh is intended to amplify the protest against police brutality and demand justice for the victims.
The incident occurred when the Army officer and his fiancée visited the Bharatpur police station to file a complaint after being harassed in an incident of road rage. The fiancée claimed she was sexually abused after being arrested by the police, who alleged she misbehaved with on-duty officers. The Army officer was also allegedly illegally detained and tortured. Following this, Patnaik demanded a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and a judicial inquiry into the matter. The BJD has also submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking her intervention in the case.
Source: BJD calls six-hour Bhubaneswar shutdown over ‘assault’ of Army officer, fiancee