Police accused of torturing youth in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur

On Saturday, police detained Lulu Parida and his father Birabar suspecting their role in the theft case.
Injuries on Lulu’s arm. (Photo| EPS)
Injuries on Lulu’s arm. (Photo| EPS)

JAGATSINGHPUR: Even as the state government is batting for people-friendly policing system under the ‘Mo Sarkar’ initiative, Bandar Marine police has been accused of custodial torture of a 25-year-old youth of Naharana. The victim, Lulu Parida, sustained injuries and was hospitalised after being beaten up by Sub-Inspector Ram Singh Hemram in Bandar Marine police station.

Sources said on Thursday, equipment worth over Rs 1 lakh was stolen from a motorcycle repairing shop in Naharana Bazaar. Shop owner Abhaya Muduli lodged an FIR with Bandar Marine police basing on which a case was registered. 

On Saturday, police detained Lulu and his father Birabar Parida suspecting their role in the theft case. However, during interrogation, the father-son duo refused their involvement in the incident. However, Hemram did not believe them and gave Lulu a severe beating.

The youth sustained injuries and was admitted to Balikuda hospital. Later, he was shifted to the district headquarters hospital, Jagatsinghpur. Admitting his fault, SI Hemram said he made a mistake by assaulting Lulu in police custody.

"The youth threatened me for detaining him. I was enraged," he said. Lulu’s father Birabar said the SI apologised for his act in presence of the village chief and other residents of Naharana on Monday. "As the police official admitted his mistake and apologised, we forgave him," he added.

There have been many cases of custodial torture in the district. In 2018, then SP Prakash R had suspended two cops, including an Assistant SI for subjecting a youth to third-degree torture on charges of misbehaving with a woman sarpanch.

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