Bhubaneswar: A railway employee was subjected to horrific torture in Brahmapur RPF custody on suspicion of theft. The victim, identified as Soumya Ranjan Mishra, was allegedly beaten, had his hand and leg broken, and was given electric shocks to his private parts. Siddhanta Mishra, an officer at the East Coast Railway Coaching Depot in Bhubaneswar, has written to the Senior Divisional Security Commissioner of RPF, Khordha Road, on the matter.
A review of CCTV footage showed that Soumya Ranjan was not involved in the theft. The ECoR Contract Labour Union has filed complaints with Brahmapur SP, the Khordha DRM, ECoR headquarters, and other departments and the police commissionerate. The union has threatened to launch an agitation if a fair investigation is not conducted. According to the coaching depot officer’s letter and the union’s complaint, Soumya Ranjan, a resident of Jaydev Vihar area in Bhubaneswar, works as a bedroll attendant on trains. On August 27, he was on duty on 18463 Prashanti Express to Bengaluru. Near Brahmapur station, it emerged that a bag belonging to a woman passenger travelling in seat number 25 of coach A-1 had been stolen. On learning of the incident, Soumya Ranjan informed the RPF.
However, RPF personnel allegedly took him to Visakhapatnam for interrogation and began torturing him there. He was later brought to the Brahmapur RPF police station and held in custody, where plainclothes officers along with a uniformed policeman allegedly beat him and tried to force him to confess to the theft. When he refused, they allegedly beat him severely and gave him electric shocks. He was subsequently admitted to Capital Hospital in critical condition.
Examination revealed that his right hand and leg were fractured. Although he has since been discharged, the union alleges his condition remains serious. The union has demanded strict action against the police personnel who tortured Soumya Ranjan, along with compensation and coverage of the victim’s medical expenses.
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