BHUBANESWAR: Amid the nationwide outrage over the alleged assault of an army officer and sexual harassment of his fiancée in Bharatpur police station, its new inspector-in-charge (IIC) Deepak Kumar Khandayatray performed a ‘homa’ (fire ritual) on Monday to invoke blessings of the deities.
Khandayatray, who joined the service as a sub-inspector (SI) in 2010, was transferred from Commissionerate Police headquarters and posted in Bharatpur on September 18, the same day when former IIC Dinakrushna Mishra and four other cops were suspended for allegedly assaulting the army officer and his fiancée.
“I am a religious person and hence, perform homa at every new place of my posting. I was promoted to the rank of inspector in 2021 and posted in Nayagarh Sadar police station. Subsequently, I was posted as IIC of Itamati and Pipili police stations,” Khandayatray told the newspaper.
A cop posted in Bharatpur police station said their morale had taken a hit after five police personnel were suspended in connection with the incident. “The homa performed by IIC Khandayatray has infused a sense of optimism and this will help us get back to normalcy and provide best possible services to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, installation of 18 CCTV cameras at all the vital places like entry point, near the lock-up and malkhana in the new police station commenced on the day.
Sources said the cameras were removed from the outpost building from where Bharatpur police station functioned for over three years and are being installed in the new building. “As the new police station is bigger, we will request the authorities to provide us more CCTV cameras if required,” said a police officer.
BJD calls off bandh, Cong seeks President’s help
A day after Odisha government ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged assault on an army officer and sexual harassment of his fiancée at Bharatpur police station, the BJD on Monday withdrew its six-hour bandh call in Bhubaneswar on September 24. A delegation of Congress leaders also submitted a memorandum at the Raj Bhavan demanding intervention of President Droupadi Murmu to ensure justice for the victim.