Bhubaneswar, March 19 The BJD on Thursday urged the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to take suo motu cognizance of the alleged molestation of a girl in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district and atrocities against tribal women in the state.
In a memorandum to the NCST, the BJD expressed grave concern over the "rising incidents" of atrocities against tribal women and minor girls across the state and alleged police inaction and administrative negligence in several districts.
The party highlighted an incident that took place on March 12 under the Tiring Police Station limit of Mayurbhanj district, where a 14-year-old tribal girl was allegedly molested, which triggered widespread outrage among local tribal communities.
Alleging that the police did not take action, the BJD said that the aggrieved people were instead dispersed by force, which raised serious questions about accountability and sensitivity.
The BJD memorandum was submitted to the NCST by party leader Priyabrat Majhi.
He claimed that this was not an isolated case, and similar cases had been reported from districts such as Rayagada, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Koraput (Borigumma), Lamptaput, and Sundargarh, which indicate systemic gaps in ensuring the safety, justice, and protection of tribal communities.
The memorandum also underlined key concerns, including delays in FIR registration, lack of timely arrests, insensitive handling of victims, suppression of public protests, and absence of accountability for erring officials.
Majhi urged the NCST to take cognizance of the Bahalda incident and similar cases, order an independent and time-bound inquiry, including the role of police officers, recommend immediate departmental action against those found negligent or complicit, and establish a robust monitoring mechanism to ensure accountability and timely justice.
The party emphasised that the prevailing situation has created a climate of fear and insecurity among tribal communities and called for immediate intervention to restore faith in the justice system.