Bhubaneswar: A city-based human rights activist has urged the Odisha Human Rights Commission to order probe by Additional DGP of Human Rights Protection Cell of Odisha Police into the suspicious death of a youth at Kaniha police station Friday.
Activist Pradipt Kumar Nayak has demanded a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased youth, identified as Deepak Barik, 25, of Badagunduri under Kaniha police limits.
Deepak’s mother Nayani Barik alleged that Deepak had died after being brutally thrashed by police in custody.
Nayak also rubbished the version of Pallahara SDPO Jashobant Samal who claimed that Deepak had died due to food poisoning after consumption of liquor. He wondered how the SDPO who was absent at the spot could assert that the death was due to toxic food consumed by the victim.
According to sources, Deepak was called to the police station after he had a spat with his wife Dolly Barik Thursday. Kaniha police are reported to have summoned Deepak to the police station on the verbal complaint of Dolly Barik.
During the counseling at the station, the couple entered into a noisy quarrel. The cops intervened but the two refused to give in. Meanwhile, a police official is reported to have slapped Deepak after which Deepak collapsed, alleged a relative. He was first rushed to Kaniha hospital and later shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Angul where he succumbed Friday night.
