Bhubaneswar: At least 24 Special Operation Group (SOG) jawans and trainee police officials including women collapsed at police training centre at Chandaka when the trainers ordered them to take part in the rigorous training under the scorching sun.
The SOG commandant allegedly hurled expletives at the trainee officials when they declined to take part in physical exercises as part of the training process amid gruelling heat around noon.
According to sources, the jawans who fainted Wednesday during the rigorous training were taken to hospital on two-wheelers. The commandant allegedly threatened to dismiss the jawans if they made “hue and cry” in the public. However, some trainees reported the incident to mediapersons Wednesday.
“Some senior police officials have been working at the training centre for over a decade. They are misappropriating the funds meant for the food and uniforms of trainee jawans. The officials are threatening to terminate us from jobs if we raise our voice against their wrongdoings,” said a trainee jawan.
Protesting the highhandedness and torture by SOG commandant, sub-inspector Bishwajit Behera filed a case with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
In his complaint, Behera said he is undergoing SOG advanced training at Chandaka training centre. Behera and other officials, including some women sub-inspectors, were asked to undergo the rigorous training when the city sizzled at over 41° Celsius.
Behera also alleged that SOG commandant Aniruddha Kumar Singh hurled abuses at him during the training. “I had an injury on my waist. I couldn’t run fast. The commandant misbehaved me on several occasions. He threatened to sack me when I raised an objection,” Behera said.
When contacted, Commandant Singh said the SOG jawans and police officials are being imparted rigorous training to make them strong enough to take on Left wing extremists. “Some jawans were taken ill due to high temperature. They were provided treatment,” he said. Singh also refuted Behera’s allegation. “Behera complained of pain in his waist to skip training,” Singh said.
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