An irate mob forcefully entered the Phiringia police station in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, attacked policemen present, and ransacked it before setting part of it ablaze.
According to sources, the villagers, led by Phiringia sarpanch Jalandhar Kanhar detained a police van, allegedly loaded with ganja, in the area on Thursday night, and made a video and sent it to Kandhamal SP alleging that the personnel of Phiringia police station were involved in smuggling of the contraband in the area.
They demanded suspension of Phiringia IIC Tapan Kumar Mohanty and two home guards.
As no action was taken against the police officials, hundreds of villagers staged road blockade protests demanding action against Mohanty and the home guards, the sources said.
After the demonstration continued for a long time, Phulbani sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), along with police personnel, went to the spot and tried to persuade them to withdraw the road blockade.
However, the discussion turned ugly and the aggrieved locals thrashed the SDPO and other police officials present there. Later, the mob entered into Phiringia police station, ransacked the entire office and set the seized ganja, vehicles and other items stored in the police station on fire.
On getting information about the incident, Kandhamal SP Suvendu Kumar Patra, along with other senior police officials and a strong force reached at the station and brought the situation under control, DIG, southern range, Satyabrata Bhoi said.
The fire service team also reached there and doused the flames and the injured police officials were admitted to hospital.
“Now situation is under control. We will investigate their allegation about involvement of police officials in ganja smuggling. We also suspect involvement of some ganja mafia in the incident,” said Bhoi.
The DIG also informed that the SP came to know about their allegation and he has assured to take action, if anyone is found involved in the illegal trade.
(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)
