Odisha police officers charged with murder over 2017 custodial death

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Crime Branch has registered a murder case against four police officers for their alleged involvement in the custodial death of a person in Koraput district in 2017. At a time when the opposition parties have been targeting the police over the alleged worsening law and order situation in the state, the registration of murder case against the four cops has left the Odisha police embarrassed.
Jeypore native Akash Mahuria (28), who was wanted in some offences, was allegedly tortured and beaten to death inside Jeypore Town police station in Koraput district on January 30, 2017. Police had then attributed Mahuria’s death to accidental fall while being chased for his arrest.
“We have booked the Jeypore police station’s former inspector-in-charge Tapan Narayan Rath (IIC), former sub-inspectors (SIs) Siba Prasad Sahu and Rajesh Baliarsingh and former Jeypore sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Rajendra Prasad Senapati for alleged murder of the man. A team led by additional superintendent of police Ramachandra Thamb took up the investigation,” a senior Crime Branch officer told TOI.
The four cops have been booked under sections 302 (murder), 323 (causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 325 (causing grievous hurt), 505 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (act done by more than one person) of the IPC.
A few days ago, the deceased’s mother Prabina Mahuria lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch. Prabina alleged though she had lodged complaints against the four officers at Jeypore police station in the past, the police hushed up the investigation as Rath was then heading the station.
“Around 1 pm, Rath and his staff forcibly dragged my son in their jeep, assaulted him brutally in the lock-up and killed him. In their defence, the police took the plea that my son tried to run to evade arrest. Police said he slipped and sustained severe head injuries after falling on the ground, leading to death. Now, I request the Crime Branch to give me justice and punish the erring cops,” Prabina said.
It must be noted the Odisha human rights commission (OHRC) pulled up the state police on several occasions for their highhandedness and brutality towards crime suspects in their custody. Instances of police excess also led to suspension of some cops in the recent past.
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