BARGARH: A two-member team of the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of Odisha Police on Friday visited Bargarh to inquire into the custodial death of a 35-year old resident of Tora village on September 25. ASP Itikanta Mohapatra and DSP Bidyut Panda discussed the case with Bargarh SP Rahul Jain and later went to meet the family of the victim, Gobinda Kumbhar. The team also visited Bargarh police station as part of the investigation process but refused to divulge any details.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, a BJP delegation led by Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari visited the RDC (NR) in Sambalpur to submit a memorandum demanding a thorough investigation into the matter. Gobinda was picked up by Town police on September 24 in a scuffle case. However, his health allegedly deteriorated all of a sudden the next morning. He died while being taken to Bargarh DHH.
Following his death, irate villagers of Tora ransacked the DHH at Khedapali and the situation turned ugly as agitators clashed with the cops. While the post-mortem report is still awaited, Bargarh police relieved five personnel including two sub-inspectors (SI) of duty last Sunday.