Puri: A delegation of BJP members led by party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra today upped the ante by demanding registration of a murder case in connection with the alleged police custodial death of 33-year-old Baselisahi resident K Ramesh on Wednesday.
Patra demanded the Puri district administration to direct an investigation after registering a murder case over Ramesh's death and requested the government to sanction compensation of Rs 1 crore for the kin of the deceased. Patra termed the incident as appalling and devastative for Ramesh's family as he was their only earning member.
They visited the house of Ramesh where they spoke to his family members. Alleging police excess behind the death of the youth, Patra along with BJP MLAs Jayant Sarangi and Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and the supporters of the saffron party took out a massive rally from Gundicha temple to district collector's office and submitted a memorandum to the Additional District Magistrate (ADM).
The BJP supporters also burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
"The death of Ramesh is not natural, it is a murder. The cops responsible for his death should be booked under Section 302. Only transferring and suspending officials will not ensure justice to the family members of the youth. His family members are in immense pressure," said Patra.
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"Since the last 22 years, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been saying that the law will take its own course and the judiciary will decide who is wrong and who is right. But the incident of custodial death in Puri indicates that police is acting like a supreme power," said BJP MLA Lalitendu Mohapatra.
It is worth mentioning that Ramesh was arrested by the Baselisahi police on Wednesday from Mangalaghat area.
During a scuffle, Ramesh allegedly sustained grievous injuries while some police personnel too received injuries. Ramesh was then taken to the police station where he complained of ill health. Police claimed that though they rushed Ramesh to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), he was declared dead by the doctors.
Alleging police excess which resulted in the death of Ramesh, locals and BJP workers clashed with the police outside the DHH later during the day. They demanded a judicial probe into the incident and stern action against the policemen responsible for the death of the youth.
On Friday, a batch of petitions was filed at Orissa High Court, the NHRC and the OHRC seeking probe into the death case.
It is being said that the government taking strong note of the incident, transferred Puri SP Akhileswar Singh to Police Headquarters and also effected a slew of suspensions.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)
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