Police Station in Odisha set on fire by mob; SDPO brutally thrashed 

Tension ran high in the Phiringia block of Phulbani district on Saturday after irate locals set Phiringia Police Station on fire and also thrashed the SDPO along with other officials alleging police involvement in ganja peddling in the area.

As per the allegations of locals, the inspector in charge (IIC) of Phiringia Police Station Tapan Kumar Nahaka and his staff are involved in the smuggling of the contraband.

According to sources, on August 3, a police van loaded with ganja was apprehended by Phiringia sarpanch, former sarpanch and locals while the vehicle was on its way to Budhakambha village to allegedly sell the contraband to a peddler.

The villagers also shot the video on the entire incident and sent it to Kandhamal SP demanding stringent action against the IIC and other staff of the police station.  As no action was initiated against the errant police officials, the irate locals resorted to a protest and staged a road-blockade at Phiringia block chhak disrupting vehicular movement on Phulbani-Baliguda route. The agitating locals also shouted slogans against the IIC demanding action against him.

“The police, who is the protector, has turned predator. We have apprehended police officials while they were smuggling ganja by misusing their power. We have videos with us. We will furnish it whenever required. We demand stringent action against the police,” said Jalandhara Kanhara, local sarpanch.

The protest took an ugly turn after the irate local set created ruckus and went on a rampage and ransacked the police station. 

They also set the police station on fire. Moreover, the violent mob also chased and attacked police officials including the SDPO, who was brutally thrashed. The SDPO reportedly suffered injuries in his head in the attack. Other police officials were also assaulted by the irate mob.

“The situation is under control now and efforts are on to douse the flames. This year the police have seized 30-tonne ganja in Kandhamal. We will investigate whether the police are involved in Ganja smuggling or if it is a reaction of the locals over ganja seizures. Sufficient police forces have been deployed to maintain law and order,” said Satyabrata Bhoi, IG southern range.