Odisha minister quits after hailing acquittal of rape, murder accused

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha agriculture minister and senior BJD leader Pradeep Maharathy, who had made a controversial statement on the acquittal of murder and rape accused, on Sunday resigned from the Naveen Patnaik ministry, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of justice eluding the victim’s family.

Soon after the additional district judge of Khurda acquitted accused brothers Prashant Pradhan and Sukanta Pradhan in the 2011 Pipili gang rape and murder case, Maharathy hailed it saying "truth and justice has prevailed". BJD sources said with each passing day, he was becoming a liability for Patnaik.

Making poor record of women safety in Odisha an issue, PM Modi in his public rally at Baripada town of Mayurbhanj district on Saturday had attacked the chief minister over the Dalit girl gangrape and murder issues and urged him to get the matter re-investigated.

The 18-year-old Dalit girl of Puri district was found in a dishevelled state near her village in November 2011 when she had gone out for morning ablutions. Her family members alleged that local youth Prashant Pradhan and his brother Sukanta Pradhan raped and strangulated her .

The strangulation led to severe hypoxia and damaged her cerebrum sending her to a state of prolonged coma.

She passed away in coma after six months.

“Maharathy has hurt the 4.5 crore people of Odisha with his irresponsible comment,” said Aparajita Sarangi, BJP leader.