Berhampur: An angry mob Monday ransacked the Polasara police station in Ganjam district over the failure of the police to arrest four persons who had allegedly killed a woman for daring to protest against eve-teasing of her minor daughter at Bhabarada village.
The villagers, alleging that police inaction was responsible for the murder of Kamala Swain (45), wife of Prakash Swain, put up the body on the main road and staged a blockade while demanding arrest of the accused persons.
The protest later turned violent as the protestors went berserk and torched a Mahindra Bolero jeep, 10 bikes and ransacked the police station premises.
They also attacked Pursottampur SDPO Dillip Kumar Das while he was trying to placate them. Apprehending that the situation might slip out of hands, four platoons of police were deployed at the spot.
The agitators relented in the afternoon after senior district and police officials rushed to the spot and assured them of providing compensation to the bereaved family and arresting the accused persons. Police registered a case and started an investigation. Kamala was killed Sunday after her husband filed an FIR against three persons – Manoj Nahak, Narayan Nahak and Akshaya Sahu – who had allegedly passed lewd comments at their school-going daughter.
Police registered a case but arrested the parents of the accused as the latter were absconding. The police inaction enraged the accused as they tried to settle scores with the complainant and launched an attack on Prakash while he was at his farmland.
Prakash, however, escaped by running into a nearby jungle. Kamala, on coming to know about their plan, was going to the farmland to inform her husband when the three accused assaulted her with sharp-edged weapons.
Her daughters rushed her to Polsara health centre where she died during treatment. Her daughters Ruby Swain, Puja Swain, Liza Swain and Barsha Swain informed the police, but to no avail.
The incident triggered tension in the area with the residents blocking the main road near the police station by burning tyres and demanding arrest of the persons involved in the killing of Swain. They paraded Swain’s body and went on a rampage inside the police station. They even attempted to assault the Purushottampur SDPO among others, the police said.
The mob set afire vehicles parked outside the police station. They also damaged computers and furniture. Senior police officers, including inspector general of police, southern range Amitabh Thakur, SP (Ganjam) Asish Singh and Ganjam collector Prem Chandra Choudhary went to the spot.
“The situation is under control. The body was sent for post-mortem to MKCG Medical College and Hospital,” the IG said. PNN
