Alleging inordinate delay in investigation of a murder case, locals of Parichala village, including a large number of women, locked up some personnel of the Begunia police station including the Inspector-in-Charge Rashmi Ranjan Sahu inside the panchayat office.
The residents of Parichala village had gathered near the panchayat office to go to the office of the Khordha SP to apprise him about police inaction in the murder case.
Meanwhile, a police team led by the Begunia PS IIC reached the spot and tried to pacify the villagers. The policemen said that they had come to arrest the driver of the bus which the villagers had called in to go to the SP’s office.
Upset over the police interference, the villagers locked them up in the panchayat office room. They alleged that the cops tried to stop them from meeting the SP.
Despite repeated complaints to probe the murder case in the village, no action has been taken by the police. Following this, the villagers decided to take the matter to the higher authorities, sources said.
Later, the locals also blocked the road in the area demanding action against the murder accused.
However, getting information, Khordha SDPO Jugal Kishore Das along with the Begunia Tehsildar and Khordha Town PS IIC rushed to the spot with police force and rescued the detained policemen.
The SDPO assured the locals that investigation would be held and the accused involved in the murder case would be nabbed soon. Following the assurance, normalcy was restored.