NABARANGPUR: Villagers ransacked and laid siege to Kodinga police station for several hours following alleged custodial death of a villager on Sunday.
It all started on Saturday afternoon when a team of Kodinga police station raided a weekly market at Khudigud village where cock-fight and gambling were going on.
While Gobardhan Bindhani and Komulu Harijan of Badapanjariaguda village were nabbed for gambling, others fled.
The duo was mercilessly beaten up by the police team on the spot before being admitted in Kosagumda PHC.
But the doctors referred them to the district headquarters hospital. Later in the evening, another police team from Dabugaon took away the wife and daughter of Gobardhan from their house.
On Sunday morning, the villagers came to know that 65-year-old Gobardhan died in police custody and his body was taken away somewhere.
Soon hundreds of villagers gheraoed Kodinga police station demanding to know the whereabouts of Gobardhan and his family members.
Meanwhile, the injured Kamulu informed his relatives that Gobardhan was brought dead to the DHH which escalated the tension.
The irate villagers armed with lathis entered the police station premises and ransacked it. While the gherao continued for an hour, the villagers started pelting stones at the police station.
As the situation worsened, additional police force rushed to the spot and dispersed the irate mob by resorting to lathi charge.
Nabarangpur ASP SN Mohanty said Gobardhan died while being taken to Visakhapatnam for treatment. His wife and daughter were accompanying him. “The doctors at the hospital in Visakhapatnam declared him dead and his body is being brought to Nabarangpur,” Mohanty said.
The allegation of custodial death would be investigated after getting the post-mortem report, the ASP said adding that necessary action would be taken against the police official if he is found guilty.
According to sources, Gibardhan’s body arrived at Nabarangpur in the night and was kept in the DHH amid tight security while additional police force was camping in the area to maintain law and order.