Nabarangpur custodial death: Police inspector placed under suspension

Bhubaneswar/Nabarangpur: Police DG RP Sharma suspended Inspector Puspendu Sagar, ex-IIC of Kosagumunda Police Station with additional charge of Kodinga Police Station of Nabarangpur district with immediate effect on charges of not following formalities while conducting gambling raid and detaining two persons.

The DGP's action came a day after a large number of people staged a protest and vandalised Kodinga police station on Sunday alleging custodial death of a detainee.

During the period of suspension, inspector Sagar will remain under the disciplinary control of DIG of Police, South Western Range, Koraput.

The inspector was accused of not following any legal formalities and procedures while conducting gambling raid and detaining two persons thereof.

One of the detained person died while being shifted to a hospital in Visakhapatnam. This resulted in serious law and order situation in the locality on Sunday.

As per the allegations, Kodinga police picked up Gobardhan and one Kamlu Harijan of Badapanjuria village from Khatiguda market on Saturday for their alleged involvement in a cockfight betting. The cops had also picked up Gobardhan’s wife and his daughter from their house but released them later.

While the police reportedly released Kamlu on Sunday, later the Additional SP of Nabarangpur admitted that Gobardhan died in police custody.