Police Arrest Police: Action Taken After 10 Years in Narsinghpur Custodial Death Case

Six Police Personnel Arrested

In a significant development, six police personnel have been arrested in connection with the Narsinghpur custodial death case, nearly a decade after the incident. Those arrested include a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), three retired Home Guards, one serving Home Guard, and one Havildar. All the accused have been forwarded to court following their arrest.

The arrested individuals have been identified as retired ASI Bhagaban Sahu, Havildar Pramod Kumar Patra, retired Home Guards Bhikari Nayak and Yogi Nayak, and Home Guards Maheswar Debata and Dharmaraj Rana.

Background of the 2016 Incident

The incident dates back to December 5, 2016, when a complaint was filed at Narsinghpur police station. The complaint was lodged by Rebati, daughter of Chaitanya Nayak of Malisahi village, against her neighbor Saroj Senapati following a dispute between the two families.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case and went to the village to arrest Saroj. During the arrest attempt, a scuffle broke out between Saroj and the police, leaving both sides injured. Subsequently, another case was registered based on the ASI’s complaint.

Health Deteriorates in Custody

After his arrest, Saroj was kept in police custody. While in custody, his health condition reportedly deteriorated गंभीरly. He was first taken to the Narsinghpur hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment.

However, on December 11, 2016, doctors declared him dead, triggering serious allegations of custodial death.

Allegations and Compensation

Following the death, Saroj’s father-in-law accused the police of custodial torture, leading to public outrage in the area. A case was registered, and tensions escalated.

As part of immediate relief measures at the time, Saroj’s wife was provided a job as a Home Guard, and a compensation of ₹10 lakh was granted to the family.

Justice After a Decade

Now, nearly 10 years later, police have taken action against their own personnel in the case. The arrests mark a crucial step towards accountability and justice in custodial death cases, highlighting that even law enforcement officials are not above the law.

The case underscores the importance of due process and human rights protections within the criminal justice system.