Puri: Protests erupted outside Nimapada police station in Odisha’s Puri district on Tuesday as hundreds of villagers, including the family of an 18-year-old youth, staged a sit-in demonstration with the body of the deceased, demanding justice and accountability from the police.
The deceased has been identified as Subrat Bhoi, a resident of Dihabari area under Nimapada police limits.
According to family members and local villagers, Bhoi was allegedly subjected to mental harassment and torture during police questioning over an alleged kidnapping of a minor girl on Sunday evening, which they claim drove him to take his own life.
Bhoi was found hanging from a tree in a village field on Monday morning. He was rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Nimapada but was declared dead upon arrival.
The protesters demanded immediate arrest of the IIC and other involved personnel, along with adequate compensation for the family.
Police, however, have maintained that Bhoi was only briefly detained for questioning as part of the investigation and let go after he returned with the girl.
