Police excess alleged against Biridi IIC in Jagatsinghpur; SP issues show-cause notice

A serious allegation was brought against the Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Biridi Police Station in Jagatsinghpur district on Wednesday. A local resident accused the officer of ‘third-degree custodial torture’, prompting a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and an appeal to the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC).

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According to the complaint, Parthasarathi Das of Balia Krutibas Patana village accompanied the Tirtol MLA to a local block office recently. While returning after a discussion with the Block Development Officer (BDO) regarding a pending bill, he was allegedly attacked by a group of miscreants, leaving him severely injured.

However, instead of acting against the attackers, the Biridi IIC, who was reportedly present at the scene, allegedly detained Parthasarathi and subjected him to brutal assault at the police station. The victim man sustained grievous injuries and had to be hospitalised in Jagatsinghpur district and later at a health facility in Cuttack.

Following his recovery, Das submitted a complaint to the SP and also sought intervention from the human rights body. As of now, no comments have been received from the IIC.

Meanwhile, the ‘custodial torture case’ at Biridi Police Station has prompted administrative action. Jagatsinghpur SP has issued a show-cause notice to the IIC of Biridi Police Station. The notice questions the officer over an alleged third-degree assault on the youth.

It also seeks an explanation regarding the non-functional CCTV cameras at the local police station during the time of the alleged police excess incident, raising further concerns over accountability and transparency in custodial procedures.

“In the altercation that had occurred near the Biridi block office, I was picked up by cops and severely beaten at the police station. Even my pants and shirt were removed, and then, I was beaten like anything. Later, I was taken to the hospital for treatment, where the IIC warned me not to tell the doctor about ‘police excess’ (the cause of injuries),” the victim man said.

“I (the IIC) will beat you (Parthasarathi) again after you return to the police station from here,” the victim man further said, quoting the cop when contacted.

Reported By: Manas