Bargarh: The district police suspended four police personnel Sunday in connection with the custodial death and lathi-charge on protesters in Bargarh, the previous day.
The deceased was identified as Gobind Kumbhar, 25, a resident of ward no-21 of Tora panchayat on Bargarh town’s outskirts. Family members, his wife Rubi Kumbhar and residents alleged that Town police picked up Gobind late Friday night and tortured him in the lock up.
The deceased is survived by his widow and two minor children. After a review of DIG Jaynarayan Pankaj, Bargarh SP Rahul Jain suspended two sub-inspectors, an assistant sub-inspector and a home guard in connection with the death of a youth in police custody.
The suspended police personnel were identified as SI Mangal Kisko, ASI Pitambar Behera, Kshirod Biswal and home guard Gopabandhu Jagdala. Their services have been withdrawn from Town police station and they were asked to report for duty at the district police headquarters.
Even as all seems to be at peace after a day of high tension and violence over the alleged custodial death of a youth in this town Sunday, tension was palpable in the area with the police lathicharging on the irate protesters during their protest the previous day.
The death of Gobind under suspicious circumstances sparked tension among his family members and residents as they launched a road blockade and ransacked the new district headquarters hospital, Saturday.
Police ultimately resorted to lathicharge in order to disperse the protesters, Saturday. His family members alleged that there is mark of assault on the deceased’s back. His wife Rubi lodged a complaint at the Town police station, Saturday.
However, police refused to accept the FIR, his family members alleged. Family members even refused to cremate the body till the authorities of Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) make an observation of the body.
Police Sunday called a delegation of the family members and members of Bahujan Milita Manch to the district police headquarters and held a series of meetings to diffuse tension.
DIG Jayanarayan Pankaj, SP Rahul Jain and ASP Mirdha Toppo tried to placate them but they refused to yield and insisted on fulfillment of their demands. They finally relented after SP Jain wrote to the ADG, HRPC and DIG (North) requesting to conduct a probe on the basis of complaint filed by the deceased’s wife.
PNN