The resignation of Balangir's District Welfare Officer (DWO) was demanded on Thursday, March 2, by Balangir Zilla Adibasi Kalyan Sangha. His resignation was demanded over his failure in keeping a tab on the tribal school in the district in Odisha, as a tribal student was found to be five months pregnant, stated The New Indian Express report.
What happened?
The Balangir Zilla Adibasi Kalyan Sangha demanded the resignation of DWO Alekh Biswal after the news of a Class IX minor girl who is residing in the hostel of the tribal school being pregnant, broke out. After the headmaster of the school complained to the police, the news spread about the misdeeds.
The 14-year-old girl, who is in Class IX, was residing in the hostel run by the SC and ST departments. She is now five months pregnant and the case came to light when the girl's family members gave her medicines for abortion and the girl's health condition grew serious. Currently, she is undergoing treatment and has been admitted into BBMCH (Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital) in Balangir, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Who reported the incident?
The school's headmaster reported the incident to the Sadar police station after it happened. In this case, the police made an arrest. Police began an investigation after the case was filed, they arrested a youth, imposed POSCO Act and then forwarded the case to court. He was put in jail after the court denied his request for bail. While acknowledging his connection with the girl, the young man said he had just spent ten days in the area before leaving for Chennai and had not been informed of the entire incident.
During this time, a team from the Adibasi Kalyan Sangha visited with Chanchal Rana, the collector, and requested that he take action against the DWO. Although it is his responsibility to visit the school and the hostel that is under his jurisdiction, they claimed that he was not performing his duties correctly and had never been there, as reported by The New Indian Express.
"When we asked him about the incident he shows his inability hence we demand action on such officers," said Satyanarayan Bhai, the boy's mother. However, she demanded a proper inquiry into the matter, "My son was staying outside and I don't know whether it has been his misdeeds or others hence, I demand proper inquiry into it," she said.
The matter is highly serious, said Collector Chanchjal Rana in a press interview. "We will monitor very strictly. For the larger interests of the child we are taking the issue," added the collector. SDPO Tophan Bag said the boy has accepted that he is guilty in the case and they have forwarded him to court which rejected his bail and sent him to jail, he added, stated The New Indian Express report.
