BHUBANESWAR: The twin custodial deaths in Puri and Sundargarh districts on Thursday generated political heat in the state with opposition BJP and Congress on Friday creating uproar in the assembly and demanding immediate action against the ‘inhumane’ cops.
The noisy scenes unfolded in the post-lunch session of day one of the assembly’s winter session, forcing the speaker Surya Narayan Patro to adjourn the house at least four times within an hour. The opposition members raised anti-police slogans and demanded immediate suspension and arrest of the cops, who allegedly beat K Ramesh (30) and Mohammad Tariq (28) to death at Baselisahi (Puri) and Biramitrapur (Sundargarh) police stations, respectively. Ramesh and Tariq were arrested in connection with separate crimes.
The opposition specifically demanded transfer of Puri SP Akhileshvar Singh as he allegedly ordered Baselisahi police to cremate Ramesh’s body without informing his family members.
“The law and order situation in the state is in tatters. The government has been using the police as a tool to intimidate people. The police excess has crossed all limits,” BJP legislator and leader of opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik told media persons outside the assembly.
Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra said the shocking custodial deaths reflected the collapsing law and order in the state. Mishra demanded a high level police probe under the direct supervision of a sitting Orissa high court justice and removal of Akhileshvar Singh and Sagarika Nath, SPs of Puri and Sundargarh, respectively.
“Even though the SPs of Puri and Sundargarh assured to probe the twin custodial deaths as per the NHRC guidelines, we doubt the integrity of the investigations. The Puri case in particular is very sensitive as the family members of the deceased were deprived of taking part in Ramesh’s cremation. Police destroyed the evidence by cremating Ramesh in a hush hush manner. The Puri SP is responsible and should immediately be shifted from Puri. Sundargarh SP Sagarika Nath should also be removed,” Mishra told journalists.
Citing a spurt in crimes like rape, bank robbery, dacoity and snatchings in the state, the CLP leader said the chief minister Naveen Patnaik should have given a statement in the assembly on the twin custodial deaths. Mishra said though more than 24 hours already passed to the two deaths, no action was taken against the erring cops.
BJD spokesperson Amar Satapathy said the opposition should not politicise the issue. “They should wait till the probe is over. Action will be taken against those responsible,” Satapathy said.
A large number of BJP members took out a rally from the party office here and tried to storm into the assembly in protest against the police highhandedness. BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra met the authorities of the national human rights commission (NHRC) at Delhi and demanded punitive action against the Puri police.
Acting on another petition filed by human rights activist Manon Jena, the NHRC expressed deep anguish over the Puri incident and sought separate reports from the chief secretary Asit Tripathy and director general of police Abhay within four weeks.
Human rights campaigner Prabir Das also moved the Odisha human rights commission (OHRC), seeking action against Puri and Sundargarh police besides adequate compensation for the next of kin of the two deceased.