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Student anger spreads

BHUBANESWAR: Even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered an administrative probe into alleged sexual assault on a student of Sambalpur University, students’ agitations against the alleged crime spread to new areas of the State on Tuesday.

The eight-hour bandh call given by students condemning the incident evoked mixed response in western Orissa town of Sambalpur with students of Gangadhar Meher Autonomous College boycotting their classes for the second successive day. Over 1000 boys and girls took out a silent march and submitted a memorandum to District Collector. Students of several colleges in Bolangir town too took to the streets demanding arrest of criminals involved in the alleged gang rape.

Administration in its attempts to check further escalation of the volatile situation impressed upon Sambalpur University authorities to declare sine die on the campus. The university campus was vacated even though student leaders lodged their objections that they were not consulted before the decision was taken.

The Chief Minister, who reviewed the situation at a high level meeting here, ordered that the inquiry into the circumstances leading to the incident would be conducted by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Northern Range). The inquiry report would be submitted to the government within next 15 days.

Meanwhile, chairperson of State Commission for Women (SCW) Namita Panda met angry students and assured them that the commission would pursue the matter until exemplary punishment was awarded to the criminals.

Ms. Panda visited the ‘victim’, who was recovering at VSS Medical College Hospital. “The girl became normal on Tuesday. She was ready for medical examination. The commission has asked the administration to keep up the tempo in the investigation process,” the NCW Chairperson said. Doctors were of the view that the girl was not able to recall the details of the alleged incident. Sources, however, said Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar managed to talk to the Sambalpur University student. The university authority also decided to conduct an independent inquiry to ascertain circumstances under which the girl had gone out of the hostel.

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