Baliapal police station Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Prabhu Kalyan Acharya was thrashed by irate villagers while he had gone to investigate and control a volatile situation after a minor boy was found hanging at a dhaba near IDCO Chhak in Baliapal in the district on Friday morning.
Sources said Bijay Dalei, a minor boy from Uluda village, was found hanging under mysterious circumstances at the dhaba in which he was working. It is alleged that the boy was murdered and then hanged, to give it shape of a suicide.
The dhaba owner and some staffs had fled from the spot after the incident.
Following the incident, tension prevailed at the place as locals ransacked the dhaba, set all its assets like refrigerator and furniture ablaze and staged a road blockade.
After receiving information about the incident, IIC Acharya went to the spot to investigate the matter with a few policemen.
However, alleging murder behind the death of the 15-year old boy, irate locals consisting mainly women and family members of the deceased chased and continued to thrash him for around half-a-kilometre on the Baliapal-Basta road.
The locals alleged that the minor boy was murdered and demanded immediate arrest of the accused. Despite being informed early in the morning, the police officials reached the spot after three hours, they alleged.
They further alleged that his (Acharya) behaviour to general public was not up to the mark. In recent past several crimes including murder occurred due to ineffective policing. Although residents alerted police about liquor being sold and other illegal activities being carried out in the dhaba, yet they fell in deaf ears. This had triggered resentment for a long time for which he faced the music from the mob today,” they said.
Later, Acharya with the help of some colleagues managed to escape from the spot and reach the Balipal police station. Senior police officials said they were trying to contain the volatile situation. Later, investigations would be carried out into the incidents.
Getting information, Baleswar SP Jugal Kishore Bhanoth rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. Three platoons of police force were deployed at the spot to maintain law and order in the area.