The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) handed over Dalit rights activist Ranjan Kumar Das’s alleged death case to the Additional DG of Police –cum-Director Investigation ,OHRC to personally inquire into the matter and submit report within six weeks, in view of the seriousness of the allegations in the case.
The direction was made following the SP of Kendrapada submitted an inquiry report and response submitted by Sanjukta Panigrahi, one of the signatories to the complaint.
Having considered the facts stated in the report and the reply on behalf of the complaints, the commission felt that the inquiry of the matter be handed over to OHRC investigation wing. The divisional bench has been conducting an inquiry in the alleged matter.
Notably, the OHRC on February 2020 had directed the SP of Kendrapada to submit his reaction on the murder case of RTI activist Das, before March 2.One Debesh Das and other RTI activists earlier had filed a complaint before the OHRC, seeking the latter to intervene in the case following the inaction of police in the case.
The complainants alleged that on February 1 morning, activist Das was found lying dead on road side of Beruhan village under Marshaghai police station. Hundreds of locals ,family members of the deceased, friends and relatives of the deceased suspected Das‘s death as cold blooded murder over vengeance.
The police did not reach the spot on their own. After strong resentment by an angry mob along with staging a road blockade , the Marshaghai police were forced to arrive at the spot .But, they did not examine whether the person was dead or alive.
Only after an FIR was lodged by the deceased’s brother-in-law at around 12 noon, the police team led by the SP of Kendrapada prepared the inquest report, recovered the body and dispatched it for autopsy to the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, the complainants alleged