Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 24 (ANI): Congress on Wednesday alleged that there is no security arrangement, especially at the tourist places in Odisha, days after it formed a five-member fact-finding team to investigate the alleged increase in recent crimes against women in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state.

On Congress fact-finding team probing Gopalpur rape incident, Congress MP and member of the fact-finding team, Ranjeet Ranjan told ANI, '...There is no security arrangement, especially the tourist places and where festivals are held, girls are kidnapped in the crowd, which the IG also accepted. Administration is negligent, there is no patrolling, and there is no awareness...'

She also referred to the Goapalpur gangrape incident.

'What happened in Gopalpur, when we climbed the hill, even during the day, if you are on the hill, the other person cannot see you...So there are many such low points, and we spoke to the District Magistrates, Superintendent of Police...'

According to police, a 20-year-old college student was gangraped by a group of men at Gopalpur beach in Odisha's Ganjam district. The accused allegedly tied up her male friend during the incident.

Meanwhile, Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das on Friday strongly criticised the state government over its handling of the Gopalpur gangrape case.

Das said, 'Crimes against women have spread like a pandemic in Odisha.' He linked the increase in sexual crimes to poor governance and a lack of seriousness in addressing women's safety.

Referring to the recent gangrape incident in Gopalpur, Das accused the state government of inaction and insensitivity. He stated that the rise in such crimes showed how unsafe the state had become for women and girls.

Earlier, BJP Mahila Morcha President Aiswarya Biswal slammed the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) while addressing the issue of the Gopalpur rape case. Biswal mentioned that during the BJD government, sitting ministers and senior party leaders were involved in crimes.

'The rise in the crimes against women in Odisha was all during the rule of BJD... It's quite unfortunate that BJD, which has ruled Odisha for so many years, did nothing about crimes against women. Sitting ministers and senior leaders were directly or indirectly involved in several cases... The CM has condemned the Gopalpur incident, and not just that, he has assured that the accused will be punished', Aiswarya Biswal told ANI on Thursday. (ANI)