BARGARH: In the line of fire over the alleged custodial death of a 35-year-old man, Bargarh police on Sunday relieved five personnel including two sub-inspectors (SI) of duty.
The five police personnel are SIs Soumyakanta Baliarsingh and Mangal Kisko, Assistant SIs Pitambar Behera and Kshirodra Biswal besides homeguard Gopabandhu Jagdala, all from the Town police station. The five cops have been attached to the reserve.
Bargarh SP Rahul Jain has also sought an inquiry into the incident. In a letter to the Addl DGP (Human Rights Protection Cell), the SP requested for an inquiry into the matter basing on the petition filed by deceased Gobinda Kumbhar's wife Rubi Kumbhar.
"It was an unfortunate incident and a judicial enquiry will be conducted into the matter as per the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The district administration will provide all possible rehabilitation to the victim's family," he said.
Jain further said the inquiry will be conducted by a judicial magistrate. The five police personnel have been relieved of duty and attached to the reserve. "We have also taken measures to ensure that law and order is maintained in the district," he added.
Gobinda of Tora was picked up by Town police on Friday night in a scuffle case. However, his health condition deteriorated all of a sudden the next morning. He died while being taken to Bargarh district headquarters hospital (DHH).
Following Gobinda's death, irate villagers of Tora ransacked the DHH at Khedapali. Subsequently, the mob moved towards Bargarh Town police station with Gobinda's body. When police stopped them near the SP, the situation turned ugly as the agitators clashed with the cops. Police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the mob.
In the night, police sent the the body for postmortem. The autopsy report is awaited to ascertain the cause of Gobinda's death, said a police officer. Five platoons of police force have been deployed in Bargarh town to prevent any untoward situation.