Bhubaneswar, Jul 13 (PTI) The Odisha government on Wednesday announced a Crime Branch inquiry into the alleged police atrocities on tribal women in Malkangiri district, after opposition members paralysed proceedings of the House.
The announcement was made by Minister of State for Home, TK Behera, in the Assembly as per a ruling of Speaker B K Arukha, who earlier in the day adjourned the proceedings several times in the face of protest by Congress and BJP MLAs.
It is alleged that a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) and his team assaulted people including a pregnant woman, a minor girl and an 80-year-old woman during a night-time raid on June 7 in RSC-13 village where the force had gone in connection with illegal ganja cultivation.
Behera said an inspector general of police under the Crime Branch will investigate the matter.
“It is unfortunate if the allegations are true. No one will be spared if found guilty,” Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Minorities & Other Backward Classes Minister Jagannath Saraka said.
The issue was raised by Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati during Zero Hour which was also supported by the members of the BJP. The opposition members of both parties created a ruckus in the well of the House demanding a ruling from the Speaker in this regard.
Alleging atrocities on the villagers by the Chitrakonda SDPO and his team, Bahinipati produced visual evidence of the matter before the Speaker.
The Congress lawmaker demanded a ruling from the chair to set up a house committee that will visit the village and probe the matter.
While Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra demanded a judicial probe, his party colleague S S Saluja sought a CBI inquiry into the incident as police personnel were accused in the case.
“We demand a judicial inquiry into the incident. We also demand a probe by a House Committee,” said Opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi of the BJP.
As the din continued, Speaker adjourned the proceeding several times till 4 PM. When the House reassembled at 4 PM, similar agitation started forcing Arukha to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the issue.
Finally, as per the decision of the meeting, the Speaker asked the minister to make a statement in the House.
Outside the House, Bahinipati alleged that victims of the police assaults suffered injuries and were hospitalised.
Malkangiri district Congress president Govind Chandra Patra lodged a complaint in this regard to the superintendent of police on June 13, but no action has been taken against the SDPO so far, he said. PTI AAM NN NN
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