Bhubaneswar: With terror and shock gripping the denizens after three miscreants, including a woman, beheaded a 35-year-old man in broad daylight near Rasulgarh road over-bridge (RoB), the wife of the deceased- Sunita Nayak made a few startling observations, noting that the Commissionerate police had given a free run to the drug peddlers in the City, which claimed her husband’s life. This, yet again, has sparked discussions on the laxity of the Commissionerate police in curbing drug-related activities in the City.
Speaking to media persons, Sunita said Sahadev protested against the frequent instances of brown sugar trade in Kedarpalli slum, and was entangled in a feud with four-five notorious miscreants. “Few days back, one among them threatened to sever Sahadev’s head, and deliver at Capital police station, if latter would trouble them further. Despite this, the police maintained its slackness, and failed to act on them”, she added. A cop at Mancheswar police station, requesting anonymity, said three suspects behind this murder had earlier been booked under multiple NDPS cases. The woman suspect, Lipika Naik, recently got released on bail January 5, in a NDPS case, too. The heinous incident comes amidst a surge in drug-related crimes and accidents across Odisha.
Also Read: Man hacked to death by bike-borne miscreants in Bhubaneswar, three detained
To provide context, 1,949 cases were registered under the NDPS Act in 2022-23, a staggering 161 per cent increase from 748 cases in the previous fiscal year. Excise Department data also reveals that 32 kg of heroin was seized in 2022-23, compared to the previous year’s figures. Additionally, authorities confiscated 41 quintals of ganja during the same period, up from 31 quintals in 2021-22.
