Three Odisha policemen transferred for assaulting woman

Bhadrak (Odisha), Jun 27 (PTI) Three personnel from Chandbali police station in Odisha’s Bhadrak have been transferred to the district police headquarters for allegedly assaulting a woman.

Bhadrak SP Varun Guntupalli ordered their transfer on Thursday after a video of the incident went viral on social media platforms.

Assistant sub-inspector Nepali Saha, constable Rabindra Kumar Sethi, and home guard Kishore Mohapatra have been sent to the district police headquarters and relieved of their duties and responsibilities, Chandbali SDPO Kartik Chandra Mallick said.

On seeing the video in which the three policemen were allegedly seen dragging a woman out of Chandbali police station, Bhadrak SP on Wednesday directed Chandbali IIC to conduct an inquiry.

SDPO Mallick later said Mita Sethi (23) from Barua village, under Chandbali police station limits, had come to the police station to collect her monthly alimony from her divorced husband Sambhuram, who was also present there.

The incident reportedly occurred over the throwing of a shoe box inside the police station compound. According to Mita, her four-year-old kid was playing with the box and threw it inside the police station when constable Sethi intervened and asked her to put it in a dustbin.

“When I refused, he slapped me. When I protested, two other policemen came and dragged me out. My sister-in-law, who accompanied me, was also assaulted when she protested,” Mita said in her FIR.

In a counter FIR, Sethi alleged that Mita abused him when he approached her to collect the shoe box and used offensive language.

Chandbali IIC Panchanan Mohanty said inquiry into the allegations is underway.