The suspected rape and murder of a Class III student on Tuesday has triggered widespread public outrage in Chandbali, Bhadrak district of Odisha. On Wednesday, angry residents gheraoed the Chandbali police station, a day after staging road blockades in various parts of the area, around 55km from Bhadrak town. The girl, the daughter of a bus conductor, had left her home around 2pm on Tuesday but did not return. Superintendent of police (Bhadrak) Manoj Kumar Rout said: “Prima facie, it appears to be a case of sexualassault and murder. The BJD also staged a protest outside the chief minister’s residence in Bhubaneswar, criticising the rise in crimes against women.

Source: The Telegraph December 25, 2025 02:46 UTC