BARIPADA: The former IIC of Jharpokharia police station Sarat Kumar Mahali on Monday was suspended by DGP Satyajit Mohanty for gross misconduct in the probe of the rape of a 23-year-old lecturer who later committed suicide.
The DGP said, departmental proceedings have been initiated against Mahali. The progress of investigation in the case will be reviewed every week and other accused will be nabbed soon, he stated.
On Sunday, the investigating officer ASI Prasanta Swain was suspended by Mayurbhanj SP Parmar Smit Parshottamdas for delaying probe into the case which allegedly led the victim to commit suicide on Saturday. The lady lecturer, who was allegedly raped by Soumya Ranjan Sahu, committed suicide on Saturday night, a month after police failed to take action in the matter. The victim’s body was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her room in the women’s hostel of the college by the matron.
The police arrested prime accused Sahu along with his two accomplices, Debabrata Mandal and Sujit Mandal, on Sunday. Tension ran high at Rairangpur town following lecturer’s suicide as the victim’s parents, locals and students did not allow the body to be taken for post-mortem for around 12 hours demanding immediate action against the accused.
The lecturer, a resident of Pandhada within Jharpokharia police limits, had gone to the sister-in-law’s to celebrate Kali Puja on October 26 and was allegedly raped by the latters’ brother Sahu. When she confided in her sister-in-law, she asked her not to disclose the matter to anyone.
The accused also sent her obscene photographs to her mobile phone and threatened to upload them on social media if she disclosed the matter to anyone. The woman then lodged an FIR with Jharpokharia police limits on October 30.
Basing on the FIR, police registered a case under Sections 376 and 506 of IPC and a medical test was conducted on the victim at PRM Medical College and Hospital here. Her statement too was recorded by the police. However, no further action was taken on the case and the accused had been moving scot-free.