Nun rape case: Orissa Congress demands Naveen's resignation

Bhubaneswar, Oct 4 (UNI) The Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) today demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for allegedly trying to suppress the rape of a nun in Kandhamal district and demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.

OPCC president Jaydev Jena told newspersons here that though the nun had filed an FIR in Baliguda Police station after she was allegedly gangraped on August 25 at K Nuagaon in presence of several police personnel, neither did the authorities inquire into the incident nor did arrest the culprits.

Mr Jena said instead of delivering justice the Chief Minister had tried to suppress the fact even after Father Rafel Cheenath of Cuttack brought the matter to his notice.

The Congress leader said Chief Minister, incharge of Home Department, should resign to prove his honesty as in the past also many Chief Ministers had resigned on similar ground.

The rape took place just two days after VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saswati and four of his disciples were murdered by some unidentified miscreants at his Jalaspeta ashram in Kandhamal district.

The Orissa government had ordered a Crime Branch inquiry and suspended Baliguda police station officer incharge K M Rao yesterday in connection with the incident.

Police also arrested four people for their alleged involvement in the rape and presented them in court yesterday.

UNI BD-DP SJC AKJ CS1847