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| Itishree Pradhan |
Itishree Pradhan murder case, which added
another chapter to the shameful history of crimes against women in Odisha. On 1st November 2013 a justice seeker 27-year-old contractual teacher (sikshya sahayak) Ms Itishree Pradhan died after she was set ablaze by dousing kerosene in her body on 27th October 2013 night by unidentified assailant(s) while she was asleep in her school hostel.
The slain lady teacher belongs to Munida village of Puri
district was in job of sikshya sahayak( contractual govt. teacher) at Tikiri Upper
Primary School in a tribal dominated Rayagada district ( 600 km away from her
village) since 18th June 2011.
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| Burning Itishree in Hospital |
1-
From 18.06.2011, Ms Itishree Pradhan was doing the job of
Sikshya Sahayak (contractual govt. teacher) at Tikiri Upper Primary School in
Rayagada District.
2-
The prime accused Mr. Netrananda Dandasena was Headmaster
In-Charge when Itishree joined the school, since then he had been trying to
sexually molestrate through various means and ways.
3-
On 24.11.2012 she requested through an application to district
education officer for staying in school hostel premises as it was intolerable
for her to stay outside or to save from the continuous harassment.
4-
On 18.07,2013 , she had logged a FIR against Mr Dandasena in
Tikiri PS which is only 500mtrs away from the school
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| Manoj Jena with Itishree's Father |
5-
On 31.07.2013 she approached to DGP for action against the
culprit
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| Itishree house in her native Village |
6-
On 19.09.2013, She again logged an FIR against the family
members of Mr Dandasena as they threatened her to kill when she refused to
withdraw the FIR.
7-
On 30.07.2013 she requested through separate petition to both
State Women Commission(SWC) and Odisha Human Rights Commission(OHRC) for
intervention, the SWC has not initiated any action but OHRC simply forwarded
the petition to SP, Rayagada for appropriate action and disposed the case.
8-
0n 5.08.2013 she approached to SP of Rayagada for providing
protection and action against the perpetrators, the copy of letter also sent to
CM of Odisha.
9-
The victim had also met the District Magistrate twice on 28th
July and 5th August 2013 and requested his action. The DM forwarded
the application to sexual harassment committee.
10-
The sexual harassment committee did fact find the case on 24th
August and submitted their report to DM on 27th September 2013
,delayed more than one month. The DM saw the report only on 13th
October.
11-
Due to negligence of DM, the prime accused Dandasena promoted to
School Inspector
12-
On 16.08.2013 again she logged FIR against family members of the
accused for taking immediate action.
13-
On 18.08.2013 she made a press release to all media with an
allegation that all the grievance redressal offices have failed to provide
justice.
14-
The father and elder sister of victim’s alleged that the local MP
threatened her mobile phone either to withdraw the case or face any
consequences.
15-
The MP and local leaders are patronising the accused Dandasena
for his every misdeed.
16-
Mr Dandasena is a habitual offender as the deceased teacher
mentioned in her petition.
The whole of our
fact finding reveals the fact that …
i) All the grievance redressal offices have failed to act promptly to deliver justice to the victim.
ii) Administrative Accountability has lapsed in this case.
iii) Sexual Harassment committee’s callousness has observed
iv) Ruling party political leader had patronized to the perpetrators for their petty political purposes.
v) The police has failed to protect the life of the slain lady teacher
i) All the grievance redressal offices have failed to act promptly to deliver justice to the victim.
ii) Administrative Accountability has lapsed in this case.
iii) Sexual Harassment committee’s callousness has observed
iv) Ruling party political leader had patronized to the perpetrators for their petty political purposes.
v) The police has failed to protect the life of the slain lady teacher
Follow-Up
Action:
HRF
filed a petition in National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on 31st
October 2013 later fact finding reports submitted to the hon’ble commission on
7th November 2013. The commission took it cognizance and gave
following interim order.
NATIONAL
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
MANAV ADHIKAR BHAWAN,
BLOCK-C,
G.P.O. COMPLEX,
To,
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| Team HRF presenting FF report to NHRC |
THE CHIEF SECRETARY
GOVT. OF ODISHA, BHUBANESWAR
Sub : Complaint from
MANOJ JENA
CHAIRPERSON,HUMAN RIGHTS FRONT(HRF)
298, GANGA NAGAR,BHUBANESHWAR
KHURDA ODISHA.
Sir/Madam,
I am directed to say
that the matter was considered by the Commission on 08/11/2013 and
the Commission has directed as follows.
The Commission received a email complaint dated 31.10.2013 from
Shri Manoj Jena, an office bearer of NGO 'Human Rights Front' alleging that a
woman teacher, named in the complaint, was being sexually harassed by her
senior in Rayagada district of Odisha but no action was taken despite several
complaints to the authorities. Subsequently, she was threatened to
withdraw the case against the accused official, and when she refused to do so,
she was assaulted and set ablaze with kerosene. Now she was struggling for her
life in a hospital.
The Commission took cognizance in the matter on 06.11.2013 and
issued notice to the Director General of Police, Odisha, Bhubneshwar and
Secretary, Department of School Education, Government of Odisha,Bhubneshwar
calling for a report in the matter within six weeks.
However, it has been brought to the notice of the Commission that
the NGO has handed over its fact
finding report dated 07.11.2013 to the Joint Registrar (Law) of
the Commission during his official visit to Odisha, which states that the
victim, a contractual teacher, Ms. Itishree Pradhan, 27 years, was
withdraw her complaint. On 05.08.2013, she approached the Superintendent of Police, Rayagada for
protection and action against the accused persons. A copy of the letter was also addressed to the
Chief Minister, Odisha. She further registered an FIR on 16.08.2013
against the accused persons and
requested immediate action. As no action was taken, on 18.08.2013
the victim informed the media that nobody was addressing her grievances.
Subsequently, she was set ablaze by the accused persons and died on 27.10.2013.
Her father and elder sister have alleged that the accused were being shield by
the local Member of Parliament.
The Joint Registrar (Law) also obtained copies of order dated
05.11.2013 issued by Government of
Odisha, vide which Shri Sujit Kumar Say, IIC Police Station,
Tikiri and Shri Muralidhara Pradhan, ASI,Tikiri have been dismissed from their
services under Article 311 (2) (b) of the Constitution of India.
The Commission has considered the material placed on record and
notices that the victim lady had
approached all the possible channels but no effort was made by the
State authorities to address her
grievances and to save her life. In these circumstances, the Commission asks the Chief Secretary,
Government
of Odisha, to provide an interim relief of Rs. 5.00 lakhs to the next kin of
the deceased, and have the entire matter enquired by CBCID.
A report on the action taken is expected within six weeks
positively.
It is therefore, requested that the compliance report in the
matter be sent to the Commission latest by 27/12/2013, so that the same could
be placed before the Commission.
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| NHRC Order |
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| NHRC Order |
ASSISTANT REGISTRAR (LAW)
Links .....
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/teachers-murder-nhrc-orders-state-to-pay-interim-aid/article5332612.ece
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/nhrc-issues-notice-to-cs-dgp-sandme-secy.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/woman-teacher-Itishree-Pradhan/news/
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/persons-in-itishrees-dying-declaration-to-be-grilled-dgp.html
