Sunki Ghat blast: 5 critically hurt OSAP staff to get Rs 10 lakh aid

In yet another significant action taken by the Odisha government in a day today in connection with the Sunki ghat landmine blast, a financial aid of Rs 10 lakh was announced on Sunday for  the five Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) staff who got injured in the explosion on February 1.

Talking to OTV over phone, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Satyajit Mohanty stated the Rs 10 lakh financial assistance will be provided to the five injured cops from the Odisha Police Relief & Welfare Fund.

At present, the injured OSAP personnel are undergoing treatment at a Vishakhapatnam hospital.

Barely few hours prior to the Rs 10 lakh aid announcement, the Home department’s Special Secretary Lalit Das had told newsmen OSAP Assistant Commandant Gopabandhu Tripathy has been put under suspension for dereliction of duty in connection with the Sunki landmine blast.

Also read: Sunki ghat blast: OSAP Asst Commandant suspended

Notably, on Wednesday, eight police staff lost their lives in the landmine blast near Mungarbhumi on Sunki Ghat, barely one km from Andhra Pradesh border, in Koraput district when 13 OSAP personnel, mostly police drivers, were on their way to Angul in a police vehicle for official training. While six cops died on the spot, two others succumbed to their injuries later.

The explosion was so powerful that a portion of the ghat road was almost uprooted and the police vehicle was thrown off.