BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Wednesday suspended five police personnel for allegedly assaulting an army officer and his fiancée in a police station of Bhubaneswar on September 14 night.
With the police highhandedness snowballing into a major embarrassment for the state, DGP YB Khurania placed the officials, all from Bharatpur police station where the incident occurred, under suspension for ‘gross misconduct’. They included Bharatpur IIC Dinakrushna Mishra, SI Baisalini Panda, ASIs Salilamayee Sahoo and Sagarika Rath and constable Balaram Hansda.
Initially, police had claimed that the two misbehaved with on-duty police personnel at the police station. The army officer was booked and let off with a notice but his fiancée was arrested on charges of assaulting the police personnel.
However, the whole incident turned on its head as allegations surfaced that the army man and his fiancée were manhandled and humiliated instead of their complaint being addressed. Widespread condemnation followed and the Defence establishment as well as ex-servicemen communities threw their weight behind the officer and his partner.
With pressure mounting, DGP Khurania ordered a CB probe into the incident on Tuesday. Hours later, three of the police personnel, including IIC Mishra, were shunted out of the police station. However, demand for independent probe into the incident continued.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Padam Singh Shekhawat, general officer commanding (GOC) of Madhya Bharat Area, met DGP Khurania and Crime Branch ADG Arun Bothra and held detailed discussion on the matter.
“What happened with the army officer and his fiancée was wrong. He was illegally confined in the police station. The DGP and Crime Branch ADG have assured that they will conduct an impartial inquiry into the matter,” he said.
Addressing the ex-servicemen who had assembled at 120 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) to protest the highhandedness of police, he assured them that the Army chief was personally monitoring the situation. He said the measures taken by the state government and DGP were in the right direction and hoped action would be initiated against the miscreants.
Father of the army officer’s fiancee, Brigadier (retired) Antaryami Pradhan said due to the brutal assault by cops, his daughter’s jaw has been dislocated and she is missing a tooth. “She also suffered a nerve injury for which she is facing difficulty in walking. She is currently undergoing treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences,” he said.
He alleged that a female cop of Bharatpur police station, who was in plain clothes, misbehaved with her daughter and her fiancee. When they objected to such disorderly conduct, the cops resorted to violence, he claimed.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognizance of the custodial abuse by Odisha Police. A formal letter has been sent to the DGP, requesting an action taken report within three days. Urgent disciplinary action is expected, the NCW said in a post on X.