Udit Pradhan, the president of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) in Odisha, the student wing of the Congress party, has been arrested following allegations of rape by a 19-year-old engineering student. The victim claims Pradhan drugged and sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in March.
This incident surfaces at a sensitive time, as the Congress party has been actively criticising the BJP government in Odisha over the rising crimes against women in the state.
According to the victim's complaint, on March 18, she met two friends at Bhubaneswar's Master Canteen Chowk. A man, who introduced himself as Udit Pradhan and the NSUI Odisha president, joined them. The victim alleges that Pradhan sat next to her in the car and began touching her inappropriately. Subsequently, they went to a hotel, booked a room, and started consuming alcohol.
The student stated that she refused alcohol, but Pradhan offered her a glass of cold drink. "As soon as I drank that cold drink, I started feeling dizzy and asked them to drop me home. After that, I don't remember anything," she recounted. The victim claims that when she regained consciousness, she found herself in the hotel room with Pradhan lying near her. She experienced body pain and realized she had been sexually assaulted. She then gathered the courage to file a police complaint.
The police have registered a case and arrested Pradhan, initiating an investigation. This arrest has created a stir in Odisha politics, particularly given the Congress party's recent stance on women's safety. The serious allegations against a top student leader from their own ranks have now put the party in a difficult position.
Police are currently interrogating Pradhan and are examining hotel records, medical reports, and other technical evidence.
Following the arrest of Udit Pradhan on rape charges, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has suspended him with immediate effect. Pradhan was serving as the Odisha State President of NSUI.
In an official public statement, NSUI said: "In light of recent developments, the NSUI Odisha State President has been suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of the investigation. NSUI maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards gender-based injustice and remains firmly committed to accountability and justice. Our fight for justice for the Balasore survivor will continue with full determination."
The organization has clarified that the suspension is a precautionary measure during the ongoing investigation and reaffirmed its commitment to upholding ethical standards and ensuring justice in all cases of gender-based violence.
A case has been registered under BNS sections 64(1), 123, 296, 74, and 351(2) based on the victim's complaint. The incident raises significant questions about women's safety, politics, and the character of youth leadership in the state. The investigation is ongoing, and further action will be determined by the police's findings.
This follows the recent arrest of Trinamool Congress student leader Monojit Mishra, who was accused of raping a female student from South Calcutta Law College in West Bengal. The woman reportedly was assaulted by two senior students and an alumnus of the college in the guard’s room on June 25.
(Inputs from Shubham Kumar)
