ROURKELA: Tension gripped Birmitrapur police station in Sundargarh district after locals laid siege to the building in protest against the death of a youth in police custody under unknown circumstances.
The victim Md Tariq Salim was detained in connection with the kidnap of businessman Pradeep Kundu.
Sources informed that Tariq, a resident of Karbala Road area of Birmitrapur town, was taken into custody by police from the adjacent Simdega district of Jharkhand on Wednesday and was taken to different locations in course of the investigation of the kidnap case.
However, when his health condition deteriorated, he was rushed to Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) only to be declared dead. RGH sources confirmed Tariq was received dead at about 6.30 am on Thursday and the body was kept in the morgue.
Police claimed he was suddenly fell ill and the allegation of police excesses was untrue. Sources close to the deceased youth’s family claimed Tariq was picked up from Vedvyas area of Rourkela on Wednesday and tortured.
The incident triggered tension with local community members laying siege to the police station from 8.30 am onwards. The agitators demanded suspension of police officers concerned and book them on murder charges and compensation to the bereaved family.
DIG of Police (Western Range) Kabita Jalan and Sundargarh SP Sagarika Nath rushed to the police station to stop the situation from flaring up.
In her brief reaction, the DIG said the meeting was underway with local community leaders and eminent persons to restore normalcy.
Businessman Pradeep Kundu of Rourkela city was kidnapped on November 7 night from near his stone crusher unit at Bijabahal of Kuanrmunda block under Birmitrapur police station limits.
Subsequently, his family received a hefty ransom demand. Even as police teams with certain clues were trying to track the kidnappers, Pradeep returned home on November 11 night on his own under mysterious circumstances. He was kept captive at an undisclosed location of Jharkhand during his abduction.