Ashocking case of highhandedness and harassment of a 65-year-old widow and her son by the Gajapati district police has come to the fore in the State capital.
The incident occurred in the posh IRC Village area under the Nayapalli police station on July 26.
A Parlakhemundi PS police team led by Sub-Inspector Sunil Dalei barged into the residence of Jyotsna Paikray at N-6- 29 at IRC Village on the plea of seizing dowry articles given to her son Prasanta Paikray by his in-laws. Prasanta’s wife, Sai Sneha, who is staying separately, and his father Prafulla Patro also accompanied the police team.
When Jyotsna asked them if they had any documents like any court order or search warrant for the raid, the policemen said they didn’t need any document as they were carrying out the raid on instructions of the Gajapati SP. But when she and her son Prasanta protested, they allegedly abused them and warned them of dire consequences.
Emboldened by the policemen’s blatant misbehaviour and excesses, Sai Sneha and his father also abused Prasanta and his mother in filthy language and even issued threats to murder them.
Shocked and unable to tolerate the humiliation, Jyotsna called up the Nayapalli police and pleaded for help. But there was no response.
Earlier, Prasanta after his separation from his wife had filed an FIR with the Nayapalli police (Case no. 0331, Dated 26/ 7/ 2018 under 154 of CrPC) against his estranged wife and father-in-law a year back. But surprisingly, no action was taken against them.
After the Parlakhemundi cops’ raid, Prasanta went to the Nayapalli police station; and after informing the IIC about the entire incident, wanted to lodge his mother’s FIR. But police only made a station diary of the incident and are yet to register a case.
Meanwhile, the elderly woman and her son are in a state of panic and dilemma, not unable to decide what to do to get justice. When contacted, a Nayapalli police officer said, “We only provided assistance to the Gajapati police as per law to prevent any untoward incident.”