BERHAMPUR: In yet another incident of custodial torture, a 32-year-old daily wage labourer allegedly died after being released from detention at Kabisuryanagar police station in Ganjam district, prompting the state police to initiate disciplinary action against several personnel and order a high-level investigation into the case.
An under-training IPS officer was withdrawn from duty while three other officials were placed under suspension on Monday after the death of Susanta Sahu, a resident of Subalya village, on Monday.
He was reportedly picked up by the police on May 25 in connection with an attack on a police team during a raid on an illegal stone quarry in the area and held in detention till May 31.
His wife Mamajini Pradhan said Susanta was in good health when the police picked him up last week but was handed back to the family on Sunday evening in a critical condition. His body bore visible injury marks and even hot water was poured on him, family members claimed. The victim was reportedly physically-challenged.
As his health deteriorated, Susanta was first taken to Kabisuryanagar community health centre before being shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Left red-faced, the State Police Headquarters ordered the transfer of the entire staff of Kabisuryanagar police station. DGP YB Khurania also directed an inquiry by the Human Rights Protection Cell into the incident.
With the incident of police brutality grabbing headlines, IG (Southern Range) Niti Sekhar ordered a preliminary probe. Based on its outcome, additional SP (under-training) Nitesh Kumar Mishra, who was holding independent charge of Kabisuryanagar police station, was withdrawn from duty and attached to the district police headquarters in Ganjam, pending inquiry.
SI Sameer Rout, ASI Baikuntha Jena and constable Suman Sahu were placed under suspension. A home guard was disengaged, while all staff of the police station were transferred. “If the inquiry establishes that any police personnel assaulted Susanta in custody, strict action will be taken against those responsible,” the IG said.
However, family members of the victim alleged that the police asked them to tell the media that Susanta was taken to the police station on the morning of May 31 and released in the evening. They even took signatures on blank papers, alleged the victim’s brother Srikant.
Srikant had accompanied Susanta to the medical college along with his aunt on Sunday. He said his brother was declared dead at around 1 am, but the aunt and nephew were whisked away by the police to the outpost on the MCH premises.
Though norms mandate that family members remain present during the inquest, they were brought to the FMT department at around 3 pm that day. The duo was allegedly kept at the outpost throughout the period to keep them away from the media, the family alleged.
