OHRC Registers Suo Motu Case Over ‘Custody Death’ In Odisha Capital

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has registered a suo motu case after a man allegedly died in police custody here.

The OHRC also sought a detailed report on the case from the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner, including the post-mortem report, copy of the complaint and other relevant documents on or before May 20.

Prima facie, custodial violence cannot be ruled out, OHRC said.

A 46-year-old man, picked up by a police patrol team on Sunday night from Brahmeswarpatna on charges of stealing bicycles, was taken to Badagada police station here and later declared dead. His family alleged that it was a case of custodial death.

Police claimed the man, identified as Pradip Sahoo, felt uneasy around 9 pm. A policeman performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him but his condition did not improve. He was rushed to Capital Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

On Tuesday, Investigating Officer SK Behera was transferred and replaced by an inspector-rank officer with the district Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC).

Two women have claimed to be the man’s wives. One of them, Banita, however, identified him as Debendra Chaudhury.

Another woman, Manorama Sahoo, too claimed she was his wife. She, a mother of four, identified him as Pradip Sahoo. Both women had a scuffle on the hospital premises as they fought over the deceased’s body.