Superintendent of Police Nitinjeet Singh has suspended two police personnel after an old man died following police raid at Taranda village under the Nikirai Police Station.
The suspended policemen were ASI Satyanarayan Senapati and Constable Jayant Mahali posted at the Chaudakulati police outpost. The action comes after Basant Nayak (62) died in the aftermath of police raid at his house.
According to reports, policemen of Chaudakulati police out post raided Nayak’s residence in search of his son Pritiranjan in connection with a group clash during Dola Melana in the village.
“Basant was invited by his relatives to participate in the Dola festivity at Poipat which incidentally is his in-laws village. As he could not go there, his son Pritiranjan went to join the celebrations. Pritiranjan had an altercation with two individuals of that village
who lodged a complaint with the Chaudakulati police out post. Two policemen went to Basant’s house at Taranda asking for his son. When he denied that he wasn’t at home, the cops forced their entry to the house following which he fell on the ground. The cops alleged that Pritiranjan was involved in gold chain theft for which they demanded Rs 60, 000 from them. The cops also abused and misbehaved with Basant’s wife and daughter. Basant died after the fall,” Narayan Swain, a villager alleged.
The family members alleged that police raided their house at around 3.30 am and misbehaved with Basant following which he died due to shock.
In protest against the alleged police act, villagers staged a road blockade on Cuttack-Chandbali road for over 10 hours demanding compensation to the family members of the deceased.
The agitators were demanding a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Nayak’s family members.
Kendrapada ASP Ramesh Chandra Mohanty, besides SDPOs of Kendrapada and Pattamundai and IICs, Nikrai and Pattamundai were present to pacify the agitators.
“It is alleged that Basant Nayak has been manhandled by police. The matter would be investigated by a DSP ranked officer. After receipt of the probe report, a case would be lodged and action would be taken based on that. Besides, the altercation at Poipat village will also be investigated by Pattamundai police,” said ASP Mohanty.