In sharp contrast to the Odisha Police’s claims of sincerely practising community policing and accepting e-FIRs, some instances of police neglect in Sundargarh district have hurt public sentiments.
According to sources, one Sachindra Bag (23), a resident of Balishankara block under the Talsara police station consumed poison on October 26 afternoon due to some reason. He was soon taken to the Sabdegga Community Health Centre (CHC) where doctors declared him brought dead.
Soon, Doctor Suresh Kujur informed the Talsara police through his mobile phone about Sachindra’s suicide. But police did not go to the hospital on the day. It only reached the CHC after receiving a written report on October 27 at around noon.
For this non-response of police, bereaved family members of Sachindra had to wait for 19 hours in the hospital watching the body.
Similarly, Urmila Bag (25), a resident of Collegepada of Balishankara block had been received dead by the same CHC on October 25 night. Concerned doctors informed the Talsara police at around 2 am but police reached the on October 26 afternoon. The body laid in the hospital verandah for about 12 hours.
“We informed the Talsara police station soon after deaths. But police reached the hospital late in both the cases. We do not have any facility to keep a body safely in the hospital,” Said Sabdega CHC in-charge Medical Officer RM Barla.
In another incident occurred 15 days back, a incence stick seller, who resides at Sector-6 of Rourkela, was allegedly beaten by daughter of his house owner due to which he profusely bled. When he came to the Sector-7 PS to lodge an FIR, IIC PK Das allegedly refused to receive the FIR.
The IIC only received the FIR and registered a case after being instructed by a senior police officer who was earlier approached by the victim after Das’ denial. The victim had shown his blood strained clothes and bandage on his head to both IIC and the senior police offer.
To get his FIR accepted by the IIC, the injured poor man had to run with his wife for about 10 hours.
Similarly about a month ago, an Assistant Sub-Inspector of police of the Sector-7 PS allegedly beat up some employees of the Akhaya Patra Foundation while they were going to attend their duty. It led to tension in the area the next day. Hundreds of locals staged a protest meeting demanding the ASI’s arrest. The footage of his beating was available in CCTV camera.
Though the protestors were assured that stringent action would be taken against the guilty police officer, yet no action has been taken. The said ASI reportedly absconded and a few days joined his duty discreetly.
In an recent development, Upper Balijodi slum residents alleged that one Krishna Badaik (25) was beaten to death by police. After police refuted the allegation, locals gheraoed the Jalda police outpost demanding stringent action against guilty police officials.