Submit chargesheets in 3 months: NCSC Chief

BHUBANESWAR: Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Dr PL Punia on Sunday said strong action should be taken against the officials who neglected the victim in the alleged Pipili gangrape case. Punia, who arrived here on Saturday on a three-day visit, visited Lathore in Balangir district and Kamdhenukot in Dhenkanal district where houses of Dalits were set afire. Punia directed that those responsible for the incidents should be arrested and chargesheets in the cases submitted in three months. He also met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Sunday. After the meeting, Punia told mediapersons that the then IIC of Pipili police station, who did not keep the FIR from the family members of the victim initially, should be arrested. The State Government has already dismissed the IIC from service. The doctors, who refused to admit the victim in hospital, should also be dismissed and arrested as they are guilty, he said.  He is scheduled to meet the victim at the SCB Medical College and Hospital on Monday. Punia reviewed the steps taken by the district administrations at Lathore and Kamdhenukot to rehabilitate the Dalit families who were rendered homeless. He observed that the acts were perpetrated by criminals. He also visited the relief camp in Balangir district. Punia asked the district administration to track down those accused, who are still absconding, and arrest them. Officials briefed Punia of the steps taken by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department at Lathore after the arson incident. Punia discussed the incident at Kamdhenukot with local people where houses of Dalits were torched after defeat of a candidate in the panchayat polls. He visited the burnt houses of the Dalits and also discussed the incident with the revenue divisional commissioner (RDC), the district collector, the SP and other senior officers. The panel chairman reviewed the relief work, houses distributed to the Dalits and other assistance provided by the district administration to them. Director of the Department Sushil Kumar Pupli briefed Punia about the steps taken by the Government.