India minister under fire for links with rape suspect

Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of rights activists staged protests in Orissa's Bargarh town on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of state minister Bijaya Ranjan Singh Beriha as they allege he has links with a man accused of raping a woman last month.

The protesters held a demonstration outside the district superintendent of police's office in Bargarh, over 350 km from here, and shouted slogans against Beriha, who is the minister for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes development.

The activists say Beriha has links with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Mahesh Agarwal who is one of four people accused of raping a 24-year-old woman on May 10.

The victim was allegedly gang raped by four people including Agarwal, the local block chairman at Paikmal town, District Superintendent of Police A.K. Biswal told IANS.

Agarwal was suspended on Monday from the BJD by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.