KENDRAPARA: The death of a youth in police custody led to unrest among local people in a village as they blocked the road demanding action against erring officials on Sunday. Later, the IIC of the police station was suspended.
According to sources, Santilata Samal, an Anganwadi worker of Chadehiguha had filed an FIR at Mahakalapada police station alleging that 23-year-old Abhilas Paital of Balana village had stolen her mobile phone on April 28. Before police could take any action, Abhilas absconded. However, police arrested Abhilas on Saturday afternoon. He was found hanging in staircase of a house near the police station in the wee hours of Sunday. Abhilas’ father Sarat Chandra Paital alleged that the police killed him and hanged his body to portray it as a suicide case.
“Police took away my son at around 4 pm on Saturday. When we went to the police station, he was in the lockup. Police told us to go back home and come next day. But on Sunday, police informed that Abhilas committed suicide by hanging himself in the staircase of the house of Haladhar Mallick after escaping from their custody,” said Sarat.
Following the incident, large number of locals blocked the main road at Balana demanding compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the family of the deceased. They also demanded rehabilitation of his family and legal action against the cops responsible for Abhilas’ death.
Youth dies in police custody
As the blockade disrupted vehicular traffic on the road, senior police officers visited the police station to investigate the matter.When contacted, IIC of Mahakalapada police station Shyamaghan Behera said, “Acting on a tip-off, we arrested Abhilas on Saturday but he escaped from the custody at night and hanged himself in a house. The police have no role in his death.”
Kendrapara SP Niti Sekhar said, “Investigation is on to ascertain the factors that forced the youth to commit suicide after escaping from the custody. The father of the deceased has filed an FIR alleging that his son was killed by the police officials. Acting on the FIR, we have filed a case against the IIC and suspended him. The body has been sent to the district headquarters hospital for autopsy.”