Sharmili Mallick

Often we hear stories of police brutality, excess or apathy which paints a negative image about the men in Khaki. 
But those may be the abrasions. The fact remains there are many unsung heroes in the uniformed service whose dedication and sacrifice seldom make headlines even though they go beyond their call of duty to serve humanity.

In an exemplary show of empathy by the Inspector-in-Charge of Baliguda Police Station in the remote Kandhamal district, Rabindra Mundari, gave shoulders to a stretcher carrying the decomposed body of a youth for several kilometres so as to facilitate the investigation into the suspected murder.  

As per reports, the Baliguda Police was investigating the alleged disappearance one Chaitanya Pujari of Pangurmela village-- under Paramapanga panchayat in the district-- when investigating officer Mundari came to know that that the man had been killed by his father, Bhuskar Pujari, who had buried the body in a hill in the vicinity to conceal the crime.

Bhuskar, who was subsequently picked up for questioning admitted to have buried Chaitanya’s body in the hill.

However, he allegedly refused to own the murder charges against him.

Later, Bhaskar led Mundari to the spot where he had buried the corpse. The body was then exhumed in the presence of Magistrate Sashank Patra as per procedure.

However, as the body had badly decomposed no one from the deceased family or relatives came forward to carry it down the hill. 

Seeing the family’s reluctance, Mundari, with the help of some villagers, kept the body on a stretcher and trekked a couple of kilometres down the hill while lending his shoulder.

“The deceased’s father led us to the spot where he had buried the body. The body was exhumed and sent for post-mortem. It was Bhaskar who had killed his son. However, the exact reason behind the death will be ascertained once the post-mortem reports were out. The body bore rope marks in his neck and bruises in his back and eyes,” informed Baliguda Magistrate, Patra.

Refuting the murder charges against him, Bhuskar said, “He (Chaitanya) used to drink alcohol and fight with me and his brothers over money. I have not killed him. He killed himself. I just buried his body,” Bhaskar claimed.Also Read

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