Adjudicating on a petition seeking impartial probe in to the death of two persons in a reported police encounter in Chandagada village, four km from here, on February 24 last, the lok Pal has asked the State Director General of Police (DGP) to investigate into the matter and report at the earliest.
Meanwhile, responding to the lok Pal's instruction, Police IG (central range) Arun Ray visited Jagatsinghpur and inspected the site where the alleged police encounter had occurred. He also met the deceased's family members and collected information on Friday.
The deceased, identified as Pratap Swain alias Dhuna from Bispital village and Sraban Das alias Muna from Chandagada village, had died at the SCB Medical College Hospital at Cuttack after sustaining injuries in a police encounter on March1 last.
Deceased Dhuna's brother Ajaya Swain had first approached the State Director General (DG) police seeking to conduct a probe into the police encounter. But the State police head had ignored his petition following which he had knocked the door of the lok Pal on March 14 last.
"I do not have any faith on police. They might not conduct a fair and proper investigation to secure justice. Only a neutral and national level agency should take up the probe," the petition said.
However, the petitioner also wanted the State Government to pay adequate compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased, besides an interim direction to the police not to carry on any investigation until the disposal of the present appeal at the lok Pal.
SP SB Bhoi informed that IG central range has started a probe into the incident and would submit his report to the lok Pal at the earliest.