Odisha: Attack On Police Team In Angul, Nine Arrested

Angul/Dhenkanal: A group of villagers allegedly attacked a police team while the latter were escorting an accused from Amana village in Dhenkanal district after arresting him in an oil theft case on Tuesday.

The attackers were in an inebriated condition and mistook the accused for a child lifter that led to the commotion, informed Angul SP Jagmohan Meena.

According to Meena, the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) had lodged a complaint with Banarpal police regarding stealing of oil from its pipeline by some miscreants. On the basis of the complaint, a police team had raided the spot and apprehended three persons while another had escaped.

"While chasing the escapee, the policemen landed at Amana under Kantabania police limits and apprehended him. However, some people there, who were in an inebriated state, assumed the accused as a child lifter and tried to assault him. When the cops tried to save him, a commotion broke out," the SP said.

"We sent additional forces and the police personnel as well as the accused were rescued," he said, adding that the four accused have been forwarded to court.

On the other hand, a case was registered at Kantabania police station in connection with the attack and ransacking of the vehicle of the accused and nine persons have been arrested while another accused involved in the case is absconding. Efforts are on to nab him, the SP added.