ROURKELA: The Rourkela police on Saturday morning conducted a surprise raid at the Place of Safety (PoS), a correctional home in Odisha under the WCD Department, leading to seizure of several prohibited items.
The PoS houses juvenile offenders with serious and heinous crimes in the age group 16 to 21 years. The facility has been in the limelight for frequent law and order problems caused by the inmates.
The raid is seen as an attempt to to ensure safety discipline in the PoS.
Recently, two inmates attempted suicide physical assault and harassment by some over-age inmates.
Sources informed that a special police team under the leadership of the Panposh SDPO RR Mohapatra and RN Pali police station IIC Rajendra Swain, in the presence of Executive Magistrate Bikash Bhoi, conducted the raid between 5 am to 8 am on Saturday.
The seized items included tobacco packets, match boxes, mobile chargers, one plier, electrical wire, pencil batteries, multiple nail-cutters, pointed metal objects, among other things.
Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said in the wake of few concerning incidents, two inmates over 18 years old convicted for rape and murder were shifted to the Rourkela Special Jail.
The SP added that the surprise raid was a next step to help restore order in the PoS. He said investigation is underway to find out how the prohibited items reached the inmates and possible involvement of the PoS staff.
On June 26, a section of the inmates had resorted to violent protest. The Sundargarh district administration presumed that the protest was instigated by a contractual Superintendent who was allegedly giving instructions over phone from outside. Subsequently, the contractual Superintendent was disengaged by the administration. The posting of new Superintendent is pending.
The PoS on the Rourkela Special Jail campus houses four dormitories and 104 inmates in a clumsy environment. The PoS running as per the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act by the WCD Department houses under-trial and convicted inmates of serious and heinous crimes aged 16 years to 21 years. It has 16 contractual staff and the security aspects are looked after by a few Home Guards.
Police also suggested verification of past antecedents of the contractual staff.
