JAGATSINGHPUR: Police on Monday booked four cops including an IIC for allegedly torturing a man in custody and hurling casteist slur at him last month. The accused cops are IIC of Jagatsinghpur police station Shubhranshu Sekhar Parida, sub-inspectors (SIs) Chiranjeevi Behera and Pratap Dash besides constable Manas Kumar Behera.
Sources said the victim, Nihar Ranjan Mallick, 27, of Taradapada village within Jagatsinghpur police limits, works as a collection agent of a private bank. On March 4, SI of Jagatsinghpur police station Chiranjeevi Behera reportedly seized Mallick’s motorcycle, identity card and other valuables, accusing him of snatching a gold chain from a woman.
The SI then took him to Jagatsinghpur police station where IIC Parida asked him to identify two persons riding a motorcycle in a photograph. When Mallick expressed his ignorance, Parida along with the two SIs and constable Behera allegedly assaulted him with a plastic pipe. They detained him in the police station for three days during which he was tortured.
On March 6, villagers of Taradapada staged protest in front of Jagatsinghpur police station protesting the action against Mallick. Subsequently, police released the victim. After his release, Mallick approached the National Human Rights Commission and Jagatsinghpur SP requesting strong action against the accused cops.
Investigating officer and deputy SP, Human Rights Protection Cell Subash Chandra Panda said as per the direction of Jagatsinghpur SP Rahul PR, police registered a case under sections 341, 342, 323 and 34 of IPC and sections 3 (1) (r), 3 (1) (s) and 3 (2) (va) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the four accused cops. Further investigation is underway.
Couple accuses RPF of assault
Rourkela: A couple of Sharadhapali slum on Monday accused the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of physically torturing them at RPF station in Bondamunda here on false allegation of theft. Basing on their complaint, Bondamunda police registered a case on Monday evening. Sources said on March 31, a jawan of RPF confronted the woman near her house at Sharadhapali suspecting her of stealing railway scraps. Subsequently, her husband arrived at the scene and entered into a heated exchange with the jawan. The woman’s husband was taken to the RPF station where he was allegedly tortured. When his wife reached the station and demanded her husband’s release, she too was reportedly beaten up by some RPF personnel. Bondamunda IIC Bulu Swain said the victim woman’s medical examination was conducted on Tuesday. After investigation, appropriate action will be taken against those found guilty.