Police chief recommends action against errant cops

JAGATSINGHPUR:  DGP RP Sharma has recommended criminal action against police personnel accused of unlawful arrest and torturing innocents. On Tuesday, Sharma directed Jagatsinghpur SP Prakash R to initiate criminal action against police constables Atul Biswal, Premananda Barik and another cop for illegal detention and torture of three persons including a dalit woman in a false case. The two constables had allegedly assaulted a dalit, identified as Brundaban Behera, and his son Jagannath in March. Later, the cops arrested the father-son duo in a false case and tortured them in police custody. They also misbehaved with Brundaban’s wife in her house in absence of her family members.

The entire incident was posted on social media. Following the incident, Brundaban and his family members sat on a hunger strike in front of the Collector’s office last month seeking action against the accused cops. Later, the victim family approached DGP Sharma in this regard. Sources said Jagatsinghpur police has registered a case under Sections 341, 323, 451, 506, 294, 354-A, 324 and 34 of the IPC against the accused police personnel.

As per reports, there have been many incidents of police atrocities in the district which have been suppressed by the local cops. On Sunday, a medicine shop owner Rabindra Swain of Majurai village was tortured and humiliated by cops when he refused to give `10,000 to them for arresting the miscreants who snatched `80,000 and gold bracelets from him. Though Swain and his wife approached local police officials in this regard, no action has been taken against the errant cops. This apart, no action has been taken against a havildar, who is accused of torturing a labourer in police custody in a theft case in November last year.