ROURKELA: Even as stories of police highhandedness have been pouring in every day, four minors, engaged at a temporary parking lot in Rourkela, were slapped extortion charges after they allegedly asked for `10 towards parking ticket from a lady cop whose husband also happens to be a police officer.
The four spent Wednesday night in the police station as a result of which one was forced to miss out on his Plus Two examination the next day while his fervent requests fell on deaf ears. The incident occurred in Sector-7 police station limits.
Sources said, it all started outside a temporary parking lot set up outside an exhibition at Sector-5 ground when one of the minor boys asked a lady police in civil dress for parking fee of `10. When the boy insisted on the ticket fee, the lady officers said she is entitled to free parking since she was a cop. Can’t you recognise a police officer, she reportedly said and also called her husband, who is also an Inspector-ranked. He reached the spot and manhandled the four boys.
The four minors were then taken to Sector-7 Police Station and detained there from Wednesday night (9 pm) to Thursday morning (10 am). One of the boys who had his test in the morning asked to be released but his request was denied. Wwhen the police finally took him to the college, his examination timing was over.
IIC Satish Chandra Nayak of Sector-7 police station confirmed the boys were booked for extortion and were released on issue of notices.
Rourkela SP Mukesh K Bhamoo said the detention of the minors has come to his notice and a detailed inquiry would be conducted by a senior officer and appropriate action taken.
The lady is an inspector rank officer reportedly posted at the Rourkela District Police Headquarters, while her husband is an IIC at a nearby police station.
Meanwhile, in another incident, Chhend police has come under scanner after a drunk person was allowed bail at the police station without being booked for molesting and manhandling a woman.
Husband of the victim said the accused Khiliban Das, in an inebriated condition, entered his house, hurled abusive language on his wife before pushing and slapping her. When people arrived, he fled. After a complaint, Das was ‘deliberately’ booked with softer criminal provisions and given bail at the Chhend police station within minutes of his appearance. The man said his wife continues to be shocked at the incident and the soft police action to the culprit has further enhanced her agony.
On this incident, the SP said there will also be an inquiry to find out what went wrong.