Bhubaneswar: Amid a huge public outcry in Odisha over the twin incidents of alleged custodial deaths in Biramitrapur and Puri, a petitioner on Friday knocked the doors of the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) over the matter.
Human Rights activist, Prabir Das today filed two separate cases in connection with the alleged custodial deaths in the towns.
In his pleas, Das has urged the Commission to conduct an independent probe into both the incidents. He has also prayed before the State's apex rights watchdog to direct the government for a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the family of the deceased persons.
Apart from that, the petitioner has also sought the attention of the Commission for stringent actions against the erring police officials alleged to be involved in the incidents.
It is pertinent to mention here that K. Ramesh, a resident of Puri died under mysterious circumstances, hours after he was picked by a team of Baseli Sahi police on Wednesday night.
It is alleged that Ramesh died after he was brutally thrashed by the cops at the police station. However, police claimed that Ramesh fell sick after he sustained injuries in a scuffle with cops.
In a similar case in Biramitrapur area of Sundargarh, a youth named Tariq Salim was allegedly picked by the cops and brought to police station for questioning in connection with a kidnapping case. Tariq worked at a garage and was picked up by cops without any notice, sources said adding that he died under mysterious circumstances.
Though police claimed that Tariq was rushed to the hospital after he fell sick, an irate mob tried to storm into Biramitrapur police station alleging police excess as the reason behind the death of the youth.
Meanwhile, BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra has also moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in connection with the custodial death in Puri.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)