A Sub-Inspector (SI) of the Mahila police station here on Monday was suspended for dereliction in duty and misbehaving with an auto driver, who had requested the SI to lodge an FIR of two girls assaulted by a labour contractor in the city. According to reports, police SI Suchismita Das had misbehaved with auto driver Shivram Swain on Saturday night when the driver requested her to register an FIR of two girls, including a minor, molested by the labour contractor at Tamando on the outskirts of the city.
Sources said Swain had an argument with the SI when she refused to lodge the FIR against the contractor. It was alleged that the irate police officer had slapped the auto driver during the argument. Following the incident, several auto drivers and activists had rushed to the Mahila police station and demanded appropriate action against the police officer. After getting assurance from Mahila police station IIC Bijayinee Malla, the agitators called off the demonstration in front of the police station.
Twin City Commissioner of Police Dr RP Sharma on Monday suspended the SI for dereliction of duty. Meanwhile, the police arrested the labour contractor Deepak Subudhi of Tamando for allegedly molesting the girls by keeping them in a house (plot no-483) in the same locality. Police sources said Subudhi had brought the girls from Bhadrak district seven days ago by promising them to give good jobs. He kept the duo in a house and molested them. To get rid of the bad behaviour of Subudhi, the girls had escaped from the house on Saturday night and headed towards the Baramunda bus-stand.
Auto rickshaw driver Swain had observed the girls crying in front of the Kali Mandir near the Baramunda bus-stand. He talked with the girls and assured them to help. Swain took them to the Mahila police station, where he had an argument with the SI about lodging of the FIR against Subudhi.