Balasore, March 2 (Odisha.in)Even as police prevented the ‘lynch mob phenomenon’ to rerun in Orissa’s Balasore district, but not before 22 of its fellow personnel sustained severe injuries in a clash with the irate mob which wanted to kill a ‘rape and murder’ accused on the spot, on Saturday.
While ten villagers from the mob also were injured when police restored to lathi-charge and fired rubber bullets and tear smoke to disperse them, seven police vehicles damaged, including one of the superintendent of police, who too sustained minor injuries and the police out-post ransacked besides a portion of it set on fire damaging all the official documents.
The incident took place at Haldipada outpost, five km from Balasore town, a portion of NH-5 turned to a battle ground for more than an hour following the police-people clash. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded till police chased away the mob.
Police sources said, a minor girl (7) of Naharpatana village under Sadar police station was allegedly raped and then murdered by one Karunakar Das (40) of nearby Dumuda village in wee hour of Saturday.
“My daughter was watching an opera in the village field along with her brother in the night. Das on the promise to give a chocolate, called her to the paddy field where he raped and murdered her,” father of the
victim told police.
“All it started when villagers spotted the accused with the body and a group of them chased him to kill. Police personnel from the nearby Haladipada police outpost reached at the spot and took the accused into custody,” said S Das, officer-in-charge of Sadar PS.
Later, thousands of infuriated mob rushed to the police outpost and tried to take away the accused. And when police prevented them to do so they pelted stone leading to a clash with police.
Balasore Collector Alekh Chandra Padhiary, ADM Sribatsa Jena, sub-collector Rasid Khan, senior OAS officer P K Mishra and other district level officials, including SP and additional SP rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
The situation was so intense that cops had to rescue the accused in police dress.
“When the mob pelted stone and attacked the police with weapons, following the order of the magistrate we fired tear smoke and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Altogether 22 cops have been injured while one APR constable is still admitted in the hospital,” said Balasore SP Yashwant Kumar Jethwa.
“Some anti-socials from the mob were trying to kill the accused. But we managed to save him because after his murder all would have blamed the police for the act,” the SP added.
Meanwhile, police have arrested Das and produced in the court which remanded him in judicial custody. A case also has been registered against the mob.
Police said, Das has at least five such cases pending against him and his family members also want to get rid of him for his ghastly act.
Odisha.in