BHUBANESWAR : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action taken report (ATR) from Odisha Government and police over the killing of a college student in police firing during a protest at Chandpur in Nayagarh district on September 11.
Acting on a complaint of rights activist Akhand, the Commission has directed Nayagarh Collector and SP to file their reports within four weeks.
Pradip Behera, a college student, was killed and at least 30 others seriously injured when police opened fire during a protest on people in Chandpur under Ranpur police limits. Thousands of locals had resorted to road blockade before the police outpost concerned alleging inaction in arrest of the accused in the sensational murder of four members of a family at Sashtri Nagar of Nayagarh town on September 6 night.
They were angry as the police had not made any arrest within 72 hours as promised.
As the protestors demanded an answer from the police, it began an assault on them, first ‘lathi-charge’ followed by lobbing of teargas shells and then opening fire on the unarmed people.
The 22-year-old Pradip Behera was taken down by a bullet in the firing.
“It is an inhuman action by the police. Without talking with the protestors, police began action against the unarmed people. The deceased was not involved in any violence. But police aimed a shot at him,” alleged Akhand.
Meanwhile, even a month after the incident, neither any breakthrough has been achieved nor the murderers apprehended. The State Government had ordered a Crime Branch inquiry into the murder case and a probe by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central, into the police firing incident.