Mrunal Manmay Dash

Kendrapara: Residents of Aradapalli village in the district gheraoed Pattamundai police station alleging police excess as reason behind custodial death of a local.

As per reports, family members of one Sushant Behera alias Manguli, and hundreds of locals of Aradapalli village launched a gherao of Pattamundai police station last night protesting his death under suspicious circumstances in police custody.

According to Sushant's family, local police picked him up on charges of bootlegging, but they didn’t know his whereabouts after his detention and were only informed after his death.

While the police said that Sushant fell ill after being taken into custody and was later admitted to Cuttack SCB hospital where he died, his family and the locals allege police excess and physical torture led to his death.

“I heard that the police picked up my son and took him to custody while beating him all the way to police station. Later we were told that he was dead,” said Sushant’s grieving father.

Denying the allegations of police excess in custody, Kendrapara SP, Niti Sekhar however said, “There is no question of any physical torture by the police. We have CCTV footage, and eye witnesses to prove our case.”

In order to pacify the irate mob following the incident, district Collector of Kendrapara reached the village late last night and assured action in connection with the matter besides assistance to the grieving family.

“I have assured them of rehabilitation and also promised that appropriate action will be taken against the police officials under law if found guilty,” said, Samarth Verma, Kendrapara Collector.

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