'Police inefficiency' lands Odisha family in hospital

Nayagarh: It may sound harsh and seem as a sweeping statement, but unfortunately, a family of Kotagarh village in Nayagarh district of Odisha is allegedly paying the price of police inefficiency.

On May 18, a robbery took place in one of the houses at Kotagarh village following which a complaint was lodged by the villagers at the local police station. However, the police officials allegedly failed to arrest the culprits.

Left with no choice, a Kangaroo Court of the village decided to hire a 'tantrik' (sorcerer) to sort the issue. Later, a puja was performed in the village by the tantrik to nab the actual thieves.

As per the ritual, a cot was moved in and around the village by a few people and it is believed that the place where it stops without human intervention happens to be the place of culprits.

And because the cot stopped in front of one Dora family, the family members were branded as thieves.

Though the family denied the theft allegations, a few villagers allegedly barged into their house and thrashed them severely.

According to reports, two persons of the family have been injured in the attack and are currently undergoing treatment at Rajsunakhala hospital.

"Although we denied our involvement in the theft, we were brutally beaten up by them. They also pelted stones at our house and threatened to kill us. We later lodged a police complaint," alleged one of the victims, Geetanjali Dora.

"They intentionally halted the cot in front of our house and then attacked us. We are now in hospital for treatment," said another victim, Tulasi Dora.

Meanwhile, Ranpur police has begun an investigation based on the complaint filed by Dora family.