The Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of the State police would investigate the alleged custodial torture of Titlagarh youth Basant Pradhan leading to his death. This was informed by HRPC Director BK Sharma here on Thursday.
Earlier, the Crime Branch police was investigating the case. Sharma said a four-member team of the OHRPC has already arrived at Titlagarh for the purpose. Basant Pradhan, a resident of Hatapadapada, had been picked up by the Balangir police with the help of the Titlagarh police on June 10 on the charge of buying a stolen mobile phone handset.
Basant’s family had alleged that he was released by the police on June 15 after being subjected to severe torture while in custody. Basant had remained unwell since his return from police custody and was declared dead by a doctor soon after he was taken to the hospital for treatment as his condition aggravated on June 28.
Following Basant’s death, an angry mob of hundreds had ransacked the office of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Titlagarh setting fire to police vehicles, files and documents and motor bikes kept in the Malkhana and damaging computers and furniture demanding the arrest of policemen responsible for Basant’s death.