Overview

• Three women have died in separate burn cases since July 12: a BEd student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, a 15-year-old in Puri’s Balanga area and a college student in Kendrapara.
• Police transferred Assistant Sub-Inspector Sailendra Mohan Pallai after allegations he refused to file an FIR in the Kendrapara case and advised the victim’s family to block the accused’s number.
• BJD enforced a six-hour bandh across Puri district and held a press conference demanding a judicial inquiry, the reinstatement of Crime Branch IGP S. Shyni and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s resignation.
• Odisha Congress activists staged a four-hour dharna near the DGP’s office in Cuttack, issued a seven-day ultimatum for arrests and called for implementation of the zero FIR policy.
• Both parties have warned of state-wide agitations if police fail to initiate judicial probes, register zero FIRs and secure accountable resignations.