SAMBALPUR:Sambalpur SP Sanjeev Arora on Sunday suspended a constable for dereliction of duty after family member of one Biswanath Behera of Hirakud, who died on Saturday evening under mysterious circumstances, alleged police torture.
The suspended constable was identified as Rama Mohanty of Hirakud police station.Sources said Biswanath of Kalupada was pelting stones at people during Viswakarma Puja at Hirakud on September 17. He was taken to the police station and released after medical examination.On Saturday evening, Biswanath complained of severe pain and was rushed to Hirakud hospital where he died while undergoing treatment, family members of Biswanath said.
They alleged that there was injury mark on Biswanath’s thigh when he returned home from the police station. He had also told them that he was beaten up by the police, they claimed.Following Biswanath’s death, locals of Kalupada gheraoed Hirakud police station demanding action against police personnel responsible for the death.
Arora said a case has been registered in this connection. The autopsy was conducted by a team of doctors in presence of the Magistrate and has been videographed. The post mortem report is awaited to ascertain the cause of death, he said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Biswanath was a drug addict and there were no fatal injuries on him. He had criminal antecedents and many cases were pending against him, the SP added.