Post News Network
Talcher/Kaniha, Dec 23: Throwing an open challenge to police, miscreants completely torched two official vehicles
inside the NTPC police station in Kaniha late Monday night and fled. The burnt vehicles were two Mahindra Bolero jeeps having registration numbers OR-19G-4288 and OD19A-1116. Informed, fire officials rushed to spot and doused the fire.
The entire incident is shrouded in mystery as miscreants only torched the two police vehicles and not the other vehicles parked near them. The incident occurred when police officials left for patrolling at about 12 in night. The incident has triggered shock waves in the area and has raised concerns over the vulnerability of police. Residents have questioned how police can provide security to people when cops seem vulnerable themselves. Moreover, police failing to get an inkling of the incident has only exposed the chinks in police armour.
Residents feared that someday Maoists might enter and loot arms and ammunition from police stations. They alleged that policemen remain engaged in handling issues about various companies in the area, and don’t have the time to protect the common man.
Contacted, IIC Bishnu Charan Barik said he was busy at the NTPC plant site till 10 pm for an agitation by the NTPC displaced and came back later and ordered the policemen to leave for patrolling. Later he left for his residence. Officials who were on patrolling were informed about the incident on the way and came back rushing to the police station only to find the vehicles in flames.
The vehicles were parked in front of quarters behind the police station building when miscreants sneaked inside and torched them by pouring kerosene over it. It was surprising that several vehicles parked inside the police station, including a bus which had ferried armed jawans during the day for the agitation outside NTPC plant site, were left untouched. Earlier, miscreants had similarly torched the auto-rickshaw of a resident in Patharmunda village November 28.