The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the media reports of the death of a person in custody at the Golanthara police station in Ganjam district and asked for an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Southern Range DIG within four weeks.The rights body also sought the video footage of a period of four hours prior to the shifting of the deceased to the hospital. “Since this is a case of custodial death which raises issues of violation of human rights and negligence on the part of police, the commission takes cognisance of the matter suo motu,” the OHRC stated.
Earlier, Brahmapur SP Pinak Mishra on Tuesday has suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) PC Acharya and Sentry DP Jena of Golanthara PS ASI, PC Acharya and Constable DP Jena of the police station had been suspended for dereliction of duty.Similarly, the IIC OF the police station was transferred and Gopalpur PS IIC, Bibekananda Mahanta was posted in his place.
A team under the supervision of Additional SP P Ch Routray has been constituted to probe into the incident of negligence and possible lapses.
Notably, a youth Ganesh Dakua was taken into custody by police on charges of being involved in a brawl in his village Rangipur on Monday. But around 8 pm in evening he was found hanging in police station.