Phulbani: Former inspector-in-charge (IIC) of Phiringia police station Tapan Kumar Nahak and two home guards have been booked in connection with a viral video, showing ganja transportation in a police vehicle in Odisha’s Kandhamal district.
According to sources, a case has been registered against Nahak and home guards – Prasant Kumar Patra and Rabindra Nayak – under Sections 342, 323 and 34 of IPC; Section 25,28 and 29 of NDPS Act and Section 9 of Police Act. The matter will be probed by DSP (home guard) AK Nayak.
Following this, Kandhamal Milita Manch has decided to call off the agitation, which it had announced to launch on August 28.
A day after hundreds of locals went on a rampage inside the police station, smashed whatever came their way, set ablaze vehicles and tonnes of seized ganja, Nahak was transferred to the district police headquarters and the two home guards were placed under suspension on August 6. Five days later, DGP Sunil Kumar Bansal suspended the former IIC for fleeing from the spot without facing the mob.
So far, 19 people have been arrested for vandalising the police station and attacking the cops. The locals initially blocked Phulbani-Baliguda road, alleging that no action was taken even after they handed over a video of the incident to the police, but the protest later turned violent.