Bhubaneswar: While some policemen brought laurels to the Odisha Police with their exemplary deeds during the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a few of their unscrupulous colleagues did otherwise, it is observed.
Recently, several police officials including three inspectors were suspended due to their alleged misconduct and wrongdoings.
The common people, social media users and many film actors have heaped praises on the law enforcement officers due to their Good Samaritan attitude. However, inhuman treatment, including sexual abuse, meted out by a few of them has negated their good deeds.
Orissa POST lists out the following episodes which betray the Khaki terror in the state:
April 20: Director General of Police (DGP), Abhay, suspended Inspector In-Charge (IIC) of Barchana police station in Jajpur district for allegedly entering into Puri Srimandir in violation of the lockdown norms. The accused cop, Deepak Kumar Jena, reportedly entered into the 12th century shrine along with his family to offer prayers. Jena threatened a security personnel deployed at the South Gate of Srimandir when the latter raised an objection. Notably, the shrine has been shut for devotees to check the spread of novel coronavirus.
May 3: A constable of the Commissionerate Police was suspended for negligence of duty during the lockdown. Constable Prasanna Behera had been posted at the Maitri Vihar outpost under Chandrasekharpur police station. He was the General Secretary of Havildar and Constable Association of Bhubaneswar UPD.
It has been alleged that Behera along with eight of his associates was consuming alcohol while on-duty near Soochana Bhawan May 1. He was also involved in a verbal duel with onlookers.
On being informed, the IIC of Capital police station, Girija Shankar Chakraverty, rushed to the spot. Behera was later let off by the IIC after he paid the penalties.
May 7: A lady brought several allegations against some officials of the Capital and Mahila Police stations in the Capital city. Subsequently, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Anup Sahoo suspended a sub-inspector (SI) of Commissionerate Police who was accused of sexually abusing and cheating the victim on the pretext of marriage.
The victim reportedly released the phone call recordings of the police officers including SI Rakesh Kumar Samal with a customer exposing Samal’s involvement in the illegal sale of seized vehicles. According to sources, the victim who was working in the city had entered into a relationship with the accused SI after coming into contact with him a few months ago. The accused SI had reportedly forced the victim to abort at gun point.
Accused SI Samal was arrested by Commissionerate Police May 12. The lady also released another audio recording in which the IIC of the same police station was directing the accused SI to implicate an innocent in a false case under Arms act by keeping a sword.
May 23: Another IIC of Odisha Police was placed under suspension following a video of the police officer beating an accused with a baton inside the police station went viral on social media. In the video, Sandhyarani Jena, the IIC of Patna Police station, was seen beating and kicking the accused at the police station.
May 25: A constable deployed at Bonth Police station in Bhadrak was suspended for use of excessive force against a youth for allegedly not wearing a mask. The Bhadrak district SP swung into action after the video of the accused cop thrashing the youth went viral on internet.
May 28: The IIC of Nandankanan Police station, Paramanand Nayak, was suspended by DGP Abhay over alleged sexual misconduct.
The DGP suspended Nayak following a probe conducted by a lady IPS officer into the issue. A woman sub-inspector (SI) of the same police station had levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against Nayak May 2.
Gyan Ranjan Mohapatra, OP