Balasore assault case: Police SI suspended over dereliction of duty charges after youth's death

A Sub-Inspector (SI) of Odisha Police was suspended on Wednesday on charges of dereliction of duty following a brutal assault on four youths accused of theft in Sartha village of Balasore district leading to the death of one.

Reports stated that Sartha outpost in-charge, Chandra Sekhar Mohanty, was suspended by the Superintendent of Police (SP) for failing to prevent the incident, which claimed a life.

According to sources, four youths were tied to a pole and mercilessly beaten with a rod by a shopkeeper and other people over allegations of stealing clothes from a garment shop. The victims were identified as Trilochan Pradhan, Satish Singh, Bhanu Pradhan, and Tapu Mohanty while the shopkeeper’s name was stated to be Ajay Das. 

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After apprehending the men, Das and a few local villagers reportedly detained them before tying them up and subjecting them to heavy blows using iron rods, stated sources. In the aftermath, Trilochan Pradhan, a Sartha local, succumbed to his injuries, while the other three were admitted to the hospital where the last reports had mentioned them to be in critical condition.

Following a complaint from the deceased’s mother, police arrested the shopkeeper and his son accused of being involved in the assault, while other accused remained absconding, as of last reports.

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Incidentally, the horrific incident occurred just a short distance from the Sartha police outpost because of which the SI has been placed under suspension.