Cop suspended for custodial torture on school student

Earlier, taking suo motu cognisance of news reports, the OHRC on January 4 had passed an order asking the Rourkela SP to investigate the incident and put the case for hearing on February 15.   
Cop suspended for custodial torture on school student

ROURKELA: A sub-inspector (SI) of Uditnagar police station has been placed under suspension for his alleged involvement in custodial torture of a Class IX student in a mobile theft case. Police are yet to divulge the name of the cop citing investigation guidelines. Rourkela SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo suspended the SI for ‘professional lacuna’ after investigating the incident on the direction of Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC).   

Bhamoo said he conducted a detailed probe and suspended the SI three days back. Sources said during investigation, it was established that the SI had slapped the minor boy and illegally detained him for a long period during interrogation. Though the officer’s intention was to solve the theft case, his actions clearly amounted to professional lapses inviting the suspension.

Earlier, taking suo motu cognisance of news reports, the OHRC on January 4 had passed an order asking the Rourkela SP to investigate the incident and put the case for hearing on February 15. The victim, a resident of Timber Colony slum, was picked up by the SI on December 26 last year and allegedly tortured in police custody. The incident came to light on January 3 when a local social activist highlighted the issue. Immediately, the child welfare committee sought reports from the Sundargarh district child protection unit and Rourkela unit of Childline India.   

The boy claimed that he had found the mobile phone on a lane near his house a month back. Another boy of the locality offered him `1,500 and took the mobile phone. On December 26, some policemen took him to Uditnagar police station and forced him to confess about stealing the mobile phone. The victim also alleged that he was undressed, beaten up and kept hungry before being released the next day morning with a warning not to disclose the matter to anyone. He further claimed that his own mobile phone used for attending online classes was also seized by the police.

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