JAIPUR: The witnesses of the incident of Jajpur Excise officials making casteist remarks and assaulting a college student have alleged harassment by Jajpur Sub-Collector Maheswar Panigrahi. The Sub-Collector was asked by Collector Anil Kumar Samal to inquire into the incident that occurred last month.
In a letter to the Collector, four witnesses of the incident - Biswajit Rout, Ghateswar Malik, Gopal Malik and Yasobanta Sar - have alleged that the Sub-Collector was harassing them by summoning them to his office time and again.
“We are very poor people and eke out our living from daily wages. We were summoned by the Sub-Collector on three different days to appear before him which we complied. Each time, we waited at his office from 10 am to 5 pm but had to return without meeting him. We are losing our earning and feel harassed by the officer time and again,” said Biswajit Rout.
According to reports, a team of Excise officials led by Jajpur Excise Inspector Bijay Kumar Samal had gone to Kaima under Dharmasala police limits in the district on February 4.
They conducted a raid on a neighbouring house of one Rakesh Malik and found 800 ml of country spirit. Malik, who is studying Plus Two, was witnessing the raid from his courtyard.
As there was no male member in the house during the raid, the Excise Inspector called Malik to sign on a plain paper and asked him to be a witness to the raid. When Malik refused, Samal allegedly made some remarks against his caste, abused and slapped him.
When contacted, the
Collector said, “I have received the allegations and would look into the matter.” Meanwhile, all the witnesses have approached the State Human Rights Commission alleging harassment and torture by the Sub-Collector.