A video of an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) purportedly misbehaving and shoving a village head inside Baliapal Police Station in Balasore district has now gone viral on social.
As per reports, the incident occurred when a group of villagers had come to the police station to resolve a dispute. The dispute was over the assault of an Adivasi woman by the local Madhupura panchayat sarpanch’s family members over the death of a swan.
The sarpanch’s family members had allegedly thrashed the woman, identified as Gal Murmu, by accusing her of poisoning the swan on January 18.
“They assaulted me and my son after holding us responsible for the death of the bird,” alleged the complainant woman.
Later, she along with some villagers went to the nearby police station and lodged a complaint against the brother, sister-in-law and nephew of the sarpanch in connection with the assault. However, when police called both the parties to the police station, the family members of the sarpanch didn't appear which irked the opponent group.
Later, after waiting for hours, when the complainant asked the cops there about the reason behind the delay, the police ASI allegedly misbehaved with the village head Munna Hansdah who was there with the complainant.
“We had waited for over two hours at the police station. When we asked the police official, we were told that the opposite parties had not come. Later, the police official dragged me inside the police station and beat me up,” alleged Hansdah.
Meanwhile, IIC of Baliapal Police Station Parshuram Sahoo has refuted the allegations. “A complaint was filed. As lot of people had gathered at the station, there could be some issues. But nobody was beaten up.”