Berhampur: A 32-year-old daily wage labourer died after allegedly being tortured in police custody in Odisha’s Ganjam district, with the DGP ordering a high-level probe into the matter.
The deceased has been identified as Sushant Sahu, a resident of Subalaya village in Kabisuryanagar police station area. He was picked up by the police May 25.
Sahu was declared dead on arrival by doctors of MKCG Medical College Hospital in Berhampur Sunday night, police said.
“He was mercilessly beaten up by the police… There are injury marks on his body. There are also blisters on the body as police poured hot water on him,” his wife Mamajin Pardhan alleged.
He was first rushed to Kabisuryanagar Hospital and later shifted to MKCG Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival, she added.
Director General of Police YB Khurania has ordered an investigation into the alleged incident by the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC), the state police headquarters said in a statement.
Speaking to PTI, Southern Range IG Niti Sekhar said, “The body has been sent for post-mortem examination. Strict action will be taken if it is found that the man was subjected to physical assault in custody.”
He said there is no such provision for physical torture at police stations.
“If the allegations are proved to be true, strict action will be taken,” the IG said.
A senior police officer said Sahu was taken into custody for allegedly attacking a police team that had gone to a stone quarry in the area to raid it.
This was the third such allegation against Odisha Police in the last one month.
The first such incident was reported May 25 in Talachua Marine police station in Kendrapara district where a woman alleged that she and her son were physically tortured by the law enforcers in custody. The inspector-in-charge concerned was suspended, a statement issued by the Odisha Police Headquarters said.
The second alleged incident took place in Barang police station in Cuttack district May 24 when a man was allegedly beaten up and left critically injured by the law enforcers.
The inspector-in-charge of Barang police station has been transferred while probe in underway on the allegations of the family, police said.
Opposition BJD, in a statement, alleged that at least nine custodial deaths have taken place in the state in 2025-26 till March 15 this year.
PTI
