Two sisters expose custodial torture in Nimpara
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik may be pushing for “ahimsa” in the Preamble of Indian Constitution but his police has other ideas. A day after an Inspector-ranked officer of Nimpara was suspended for assaulting two women in police station, the Commissionerate Police left the Government red-faced as two sisters of the City were allegedly manhandled in custody in the Capital.
injury marks | Express
The victims posted pictures of police excesses on social media which went viral on Saturday. Facing a barrage of criticism, the Commissionerate Police shifted three officers as a damage control measure.
The victims were detained on May 5 by Nayapalli Police over a civil dispute. It was during the detention that the sister duo was allegedly subjected to torture. They were arrested and produced before a magistrate the following day. After being released on interim bail, the two posted pictures of police excesses on social media.
On May 5, the Nayapalli Police had received a complaint from Raj Kishore Behera of Behera Sahi about allegations of harassment over a property dispute following which four SIs including two lady officers visited the spot. The police alleged that they faced stiff resistance from the family against whom the complaint was filed.
The police said the family members hurled abuses, pelted stones, manhandled them and even let their dogs loose when they went to the spot. Subsequently, police detained the two sisters - Gayatri and Itishree - and brought them to police station. They were later arrested in connection with the civil dispute case as well as for assaulting police.
The two women, both students, urged the court to grant them bail citing examinations. The court considered the plea and granted them interim bail till June 4. The sister duo later took to social media and uploaded several pictures revealing their injuries which they allegedly suffered at the hands of Nayapalli police.
On Saturday, BJP Mahila Morcha activists gheraoed Nayapalli Police Station and demanded stern action against the erring cops following which IIC Sangram Patnaik and two SIs Minati Nayak and Sasmita Dhal were shifted under instruction of Police Commissioner YB Khurania.
Bhubaneswar DCP Anup Kumar Sahoo said Additional DCP, Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) has been directed to probe the entire incident and submit a report within 24 hours.
Capital police station officer Uma Shankar Pradhan has been posted as the inspector-in-charge of Nayapalli police station.