Lady PEO Death: BJP Stages Walkout In Assembly, Deceased Smitarani's Locker Opened

Bhubaneswar: Reiterating for a CBI probe into Haridaspur lady panchayat executive officer (PEO) Smitarani Biswal's death, BJP MLAs on Saturday staged a silent protest inside Odisha Assembly.

Wearing black bands, the saffron party members staged a symbolic protest by standing inside the House. Later, they staged a dharna in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue in the premises of Odisha Assembly.

"Odisha Speaker is not allowing us to put forth our views in the House and we also condemn the statements of Minister of State (Home). Government records clearly state that the guest house, where  lady PEO was found dead, was evicted in 2018. But how was the guest house operating while it was  evicted,"questioned deputy leader of opposition in assembly and senior BJP leader Bishnu Sethi.

Sethi further stated that every attempt is being made by the State government to suppress the matter.

BJP MLA Kusum Tete alleged that atrocities and crime against women are on the rise in Odisha.

"Though we are trying to raise the issue in Assembly, our voices are falling on deaf ears," said Tete.

Meanwhile, the official locker of Smitarani inside her office was opened in presence of police and  magistrate today. Several files have been recovered and such documents will be verified in coming days, said a senior police official.