Kotpad 19th July 202,5: A successful Odisha Bandh was observed in Kotpad on Thursday, following the call of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC). The protest was held to demand justice for Soumyashree Bishi, a student of FM College, who tragically lost her life. Protesters are demanding strict punishment for those responsible for her death and have criticized the state government’s failure to take appropriate action, calling it a major reason for the worsening law and order situation in Odisha.
As part of the bandh, Congress workers blocked National Highway 63 near the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. This led to a major traffic jam, with hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the road. Protesters raised slogans demanding the Chief Minister’s resignation over rising incidents of crime against women and a breakdown of public safety.
Key Congress leaders and workers including NAC Chairman M.R. Rao, PCC member Mani Prasad Pattnaik, former MLA candidate Anam Diayan, Jitendra Mihapatra, Prakash Mahanti, Manoj Brahma, Zilla Parishad Chairman Salma Begum, Ward Members M.D. Syed Yusuf, Sumitra Gand, Sarpanch Trinath Majhi, Santosh Mishra, Muna Khan, Banarjee Rao, MD Safsel, Ranganath Hota, Puran Nayak, Girish Pattnaik, Bapun Mishra, Gupta Swain, Surya Bisoi, Nabin Bisoi, and Mahindra Bisoi were present.
Over a hundred Congress workers participated in the 12-hour bandh (from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM), which concluded peacefully but with strong public participation and tight coordination.