"We have zero tolerance": Odisha Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das on suspension of NSUI's Udit Pradhan over rape case

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 22 : Reacting to the arrest of Congress student leader Udit Pradhan for allegedly raping a 19-year-old woman, Odisha Pradesh Congress President Bhakta Charan Das said that the party has suspended him with immediate effect and reaffirmed its "zero tolerance" policy towards crimes against women.
Speaking to ANI, Das said, "We have taken immediate action and suspended him with immediate effect, till the inquiry is over. Congress Party has been fighting against the atrocities against women. We will keep fighting against this until it is over in Odisha. We have zero tolerance against this."
Meanwhile, on Monday, Congress leader Sashmita Behera reiterated the party's stance of committment to stand with women and pledged to support the girl after Odisha Police arrested Udit Pradhan, the state unit president of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), for allegedly raping a 19-year-old student.
She said that they are on their way to meet the victim to get more details about the incident.
"Some complaints have been received against Udit Pradhan. He has also been arrested. Upon learning this news, the NSUI National President immediately suspended him, and the PCC formed a fact-finding team, which I led. We are going to meet the girl who filed the complaint right now. Our party's stance is a commitment to stand with women and provide them justice. We are with that girl. We will meet her first, and only then will we find out what happened to her," Behera told ANI.
Odisha Police had arrested Udit Pradhan, President of the Odisha National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Congress party's student wing, in connection with the alleged rape of a student in Bhubaneswar, according to the Odisha Police Commissionerate.
As per the police, the incident happened on Friday night when the girl was allegedly given an intoxicating substance in a drink by the accused before he allegedly committed the offence.
The incident reportedly took place in a hotel in Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar.
Police said, "There has been an allegation by a girl student about giving an intoxicating substance in a drink and then of rape in a hotel against one Udit Pradhan."
Based on the complaint submitted by the victim, an FIR was registered at the Mancheswar Police Station, and the accused Udit Pradhan, was arrested.
"On the basis of the report submitted by the victim, FIR has been registered at the Mancheswar Police Station and the accused Udit Pradhan has been arrested, Police said.
Meanwhile, Pradhan has been suspended from the position of President of the Odisha National Students' Union of India (NSUI) with immediate effect, as per a statement issued by the NSUI National President.