Odisha To Have SOP On Proper Behaviour With Army Personnel, CCTV In All Police Stations

Cuttack: Amid a nationwide outrage after alleged assault of an Army officer and his fiancée, the Orissa High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) on appropriate behaviour with defence personnel at police stations.

Hearing a PIL in connection with the recent incident at Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar, the High Court expressed displeasure over absence of CCTV at 13 police stations in the state.

ADG of Police Dayal Gangwar, who made a personal appearance in the court, informed that the process to install CCTV cameras in these police stations would be completed within the next 15 days.

Similarly, the Video Management System (VMS) will also be operational within the same period. Through the VMS, the Superintendent of Police can monitor the CCTV footage of all police stations, he said.

During the previous hearing, the Odisha government had earlier informed that nearly 57 police stations in the state did not have CCTV cameras.

The ADG also informed that SOP will soon be issued as far as appropriate behaviour towards Army personnel at Police Stations. Efforts are to prepare the modalities.

The next hearing on the matter is scheduled to be held on November 12, 2024.

However, the HC declined to hear a petition filed by a family member of one of the suspended police personnel in connection with the Bharatpur case on media statements of the woman victim.

The court stated that the woman victim was asked not to make any statement to the media for the sake of her honour and her remarks to news channels cannot be termed as contempt of court.