Odisha CB registers criminal case against five cops

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Crime Branch today registered a criminal case against five police personnel in connection with the alleged assault on Army Major Guruwant Singh and his fiancée Ankita Pradhan at the Bharatpur police station in the city.

On the basis of a complaint filed by the Army officer, the case has been registered against former Bharatpur police station IIC Dinakrushna Mishra, Sub Inspector Baisalini Panda, WASI Salilamayee Sahoo, WASI Sagarika Rath, and constable Balaram Hansda.

Odisha DGP YB Khurania had earlier suspended the five police personnel. The incident took place on September 15 at around 1 AM when Singh and Panda went to the police station to file a complaint as some youths had allegedly misbehaved with them while they were returning home. The police personnel allegedly harassed and assaulted the duo at the police station.

Pradhan has further alleged that Dinakrushna Mishra attempted to assault her sexually at the police station. On the other hand, the police alleged that the Army officer and his partner attacked and misbehaved with on-duty police personnel at the police station. The police personnel alleged that Singh and his fiancée visited the Bharatpur police station to lodge a complaint. When the woman Sub-Inspector on duty asked the Army Major and his fiancée to file a written complaint, they got irked and attacked the police personnel.