The State BJP on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the alleged custodial death of a tribal youth and the subsequent incident of arson in police station in Khurda district by a mob on May 5.
Addressing a Press conference here, a five- member fact- finding committee headed by BJP leader Surama Padhi, who had been to Begunia for an on- the- spot study of the incident, urged the Government to constitute a judicial commission headed by a sitting district judge for an impartial probe into the sensitive issue. The administrative inquiry is an eye wash and would not be acceptable, they said.
Besides Padhi, senior BJP leaders Samir Mohanty, Sudipta Ray and Khurda district BJP president Ajaya Mishra demanded that cases should be filed under Section 302 against Begunia IIC Ambika Das and he be arrested immediately for his involvement in the custodial death of tribal youth Hemanta Nayak and for allegedly demanding bribe.
The irate mob had ransacked the police station and set it on fire after the body of Nayak, who was picked up by the police on the charges of eve-teasing earlier, was found hanging from a tree at Badaberan village.
The local people alleged that the police were responsible for the death of Nayak and ransacked the police station before setting it on fire. They charged Nayak died due to police torture in custody.
The BJP leaders alleged that the Begunia IIC was known for his atrocity and had been harassing people unnecessarily where ever he had worked. Earlier, on the allegation of the people of Bolagada where he was working as IIC, he was transferred to Begunia police station. However, no action was taken against the IIC despite the people of the area had submitted a memorandum alleging atrocity and harassment against common people to the Chief Minister, the Home Secretary, the DG Police, they said.
They said further that during the on- the- spot study, it was ascertained that Nayak along with three youth was taken to the police station by police on the charge of eve-teasing. While three others were discharged after keeping them in custody for four days with hefty bribe to the IIC, Nayak was still kept in custody for failing to give bribe of Rs20,000 as demanded by the IIC, they said.
They asserted that marks of serious torture and beating were found on the bodies of Pabitra Naayak, Satya Nayak and Somanath Swain, who were taken to custody along with Nayak.
The BJP leaders demanded that the State Government should immediately provide Rs10 lakh as compensation to the widow of Nayak along with a job for her rehabilitation.