Bhubaneswar: BJP MP Suresh Pujari demanded Monday that proper investigation be carried out into the alleged custodial death of a 35-year-old man in Bargarh district.
Pointing out that the death of Gobinda Kumbhar, a Dalit man from Tora village in Bargarh block, had “shaken the conscience of the entire society in Odisha”, Pujari said in a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that strict action must be taken against erring police officials.
“The Talibanisation of police is not a good sign for a healthy democracy,” the Bargarh MP said in the letter.
Kumbhar had been picked up by the Bargarh town police station Friday in connection with a case of a brawl. The next morning, Kumbhar became unwell and officers of the Bargarh town police station took him to a hospital.
When his condition deteriorated, he was rushed to the district hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, a police officer had said.
The incident triggered protests by villagers and as the agitators clashed with the police, the law enforcers had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the mob.
The police had dismissed allegations of torture and asserted they were not involved in any way behind Kumbhar’s death.
A senior police officer said on Sunday that there will be an inquiry by a judicial magistrate.
The Human Rights Protection Cell, which is under the Odisha Police, will also conduct a probe, he said.
The guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will be followed regarding the post-mortem, the police officer said.
“The circumstances leading to the death of Kumbhar and the apparent signs of injury to his body suggest criminal assaults,” according to Pujari.
He urged Patnaik, who is also in charge of the Home Department, to take serious note of the incident and direct the police to lodge a case under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
The 60-year-old politician stressed that the videography of the post-mortem should be preserved and the deceased’s family should be adequately compensated on humanitarian grounds.
PTI
