09 March 2014

Tension high over homeguard's death in Umerkote.

Nabarangpur:Basant Rath,
Protests rocked  Umerkote following the suspected suicide of a home guard at the treasury adjacent to the sub judge court on Thursday.The deceased home guard Paduram Bhatra of Sanakumari was on night duty at the treasury with other police personnel. This morning his dead body was found in the treasury roof.  He was found hanging, said local people.
In a spontaneous reaction, hundreds of villagers stormed the treasury and the sub judge court. They ransacked and vandalised the premises before  police force was rushed to the spot. Furniture, computers and several other articles in the court and  were damaged in the mob attack.Villagers alleged that the police cane charged them while the police maintained that it had 'chased' the violent mob. The angry villagers gheraoed the treasury and the court demanding a high level probe and adequate compensation
to the bereaved family. The clash between the villagers and the police left several people injured on both sides. The tahasildar, Umerkote Tarani Suna, inspector in charge S K Upadhaya, assistant sub inspector
Bulu Patnaik and other policemen were hurt in the stone pelting that took place. The villagers rubbished the police version that home guard Paduram had committed suicide. How can he commit suicide when he was on night duty with other police staff at the treasury, questioned the villagers. They suspected foul play and demanded an impartial probe.