Elderly couple, son ‘assaulted’ by cops in Puri; locals stage demonstration

Puri: Tension ran high at Kumbharapada in Puri district after locals staged a demonstration in front of Kumbharapada police station protesting alleged physical and mental torture inflicted on an elderly couple and their son by police officials late on Monday night.

According to reports, the daughter-in-law of one Sarat Paikray (75), a resident of Abakash Lane here, had an altercation with her husband, Sanjay Paikray yesterday following which she called up police alleging domestic violence.

Later, police reached the house and took Sarat, his wife and son Sanjay to the police station and kept them there till late night. When Sarat fell ill at the police station, his wife and son informed the police about it. But the cops started manhandling and assaulting the duo. The trio was later admitted to the Puri Sadar Hospital for treatment.

Protesting the police excesses, locals staged a demonstration in front of the police station and blocked road late last night.

Sanjay alleged that, “The cops are now saying that they will look into the matter but all I want to know is that without committing any mistake, why the cops assaulted me and my mother.”

However, officials of Kumbharapada police station are yet to comment on the matter.