Rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo on Friday filed a petition before the State Human Rights Commission (OHRC) seeking his intervention on police high-handedness in Kendrapada on Thursday owing to which a 62-year-old man died.
Kanungo in his petition alleged that it is a matter of concern that the brutalities of the State functionaries in general and police in particular are on a rising trend. Human rights and liberty are at stake and the remedial mechanisms fail to check the menace.
Notably, Basanta Nayak of Bhagabatipur village died during police raid by the Chaudakulata outpost officials led by SI SNSenapati on March 24 last. The team was in quest of his son accused in a theft case.
The old man died out of trauma caused to him due to police assaults and humiliations with abusive languages. Hence, the matter reveals a great concern of rights violation which requires an independent enquiry, demanded Kanungo.
He too urged the Commission to send its own investigating team to unravel the circumstances leading to the death, find out the police officials responsible for such high handedness, recommend for providing a compensation amount of Rs 25 lakh to the deceased’s kin and initiate penal as well as disciplinary actions against the errant.
Acting on the petition, the OHRC on Saturday asked to the IG of Police (CR), SP and district Collector of Kendrapada to submit a detailed report on the incident within four weeks.
Meanwhile, the Nikirai police are waiting for the autopsy report of the deceased Nayak for carrying out an investigation. Four persons, including the duo police personnel, were detained at Nikirai police station. Additional SP of Kendrapada Ramesh Chandra Mohanty started a departmental inquiry against the duo police officials of Choudakulat, informed SP Nitinjeet Singh.
Also, a case has been registered at Nikirai police station on Friday against the locals for illegally organising a road blockade at Tanara petrol pump on Cuttack-Chandabali road.