Baranga IIC shunted over custodial torture plaint

Bhubaneswar: Govt on Sunday removed Niranjan Behera from the post of inspector-in-charge (IIC) of Baranga police station in Cuttack following allegations of custodial torture of a suspect who is apparently battling for life at SCB Medical College and Hospital.The action came amid four days of persistent protests by residents of Chandi Prasad village, who alleged that Rakesh Behera (34) was brutally tortured at Baranga police station after his detention on May 20. While his family has been alleging that he was tortured till May 23, police claimed he was released on May 20 itself. However, it is not clear when and how he was admitted to the hospital.Villagers started protesting from Tuesday, which continued till Friday, when they also attempted to storm the Baranga police station. Taking serious note of the public as well as political outrage, DGP Y B Khurania ordered an inquiry on Friday, seeking a report from police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh.A senior police officer said the Baranga IIC has been transferred to the Cuttack DCP headquarters to ensure an impartial investigation into the allegations. Purighat police station IIC Biswaranjan Nayak has been given an additional charge to head Baranga, the officer added.Meanwhile, Rakesh’s family expressed dissatisfaction with the action. “A transfer is not punishment. It is an eyewash, an attempt to shield an IPS officer who also beat my son mercilessly. All those responsible should be suspended,” said Kartik Behera, father of the victim.Rakesh was picked up by Baranga police on May 20 in connection with the recovery of a decomposed body of an unidentified woman on Kathajodi riverbed. He had earlier filed a complaint about his wife’s disappearance on May 15.“Suspecting the body to be hers, police tortured him, assuming he had killed her. We informed the police that his wife was alive, but police did not pay heed,” his father claimed.This is the second case of alleged custodial torture in Odisha within a week. On May 27, Sandhyarani Jena, IIC of Talchua Marine police station in Kendrapada district, was suspended for allegedly torturing a mother-son duo in custody.Khurania warned that "third-degree” torture in custody will not be tolerated. “Such conduct towards the general public is never acceptable. Whenever such incidents come to light, we take tough action,” Khurania said, adding that Odisha police always remain committed to transparency, accountability and justice for the common people.