Four Bangladeshi Hindu Immigrants released from detention centre

Uncertainty looms over the deportation of four Bangladeshi Hindu immigrants who were detained by Paradip Lock Police last week, as their lives are reportedly under threat in Bangladesh due to religious persecution.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Drawing flak from all quarters over the rising crime against women in the state, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday launched 'Shaktishree Initiative', to ensure the safety of girl students across campuses in Odisha.

The public outrage and the fact that the Opposition parties had made the self-immolation of a student of FM College, Balasore into a national issue, left the Majhi government red-faced. A series of incidents since 12 July, including the arrest of a lecturer in Sambalpur and a BJP worker in Angul over sexual charges and today the incident of a minor girl being set ablaze by three unidentified miscreants in a village of Puri district put the government in the dock.

In a bid to recoup lost ground, the CM came up with the Shaktishree Initiative to be implemented for students across 16 universities and 730 government and grant-in-aid colleges of the state. "Through this, we will ensure that our daughters feel protected, supported, and empowered on campus," he said.

He expanded on the initiative saying it has eight points ranging from self-defence training to girl students, mental health and support training and counseling.