NHRC team begins probe into attack on lady sarpanch

Kendrapada: A three-member team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday began investigating the alleged attack on Dalit sarpanch Chameli Ojha (33) in Kendrapada district.The three-member team comprising Isam Singh, deputy superintendent of police, NHRC, Gugan Ram and Shashi Bala Sharma arrived in Kendrapada on Monday night for a four-day stay in the district to conduct a detailed spot inquiry into a complaint filed by Chameli Ojha, sarpanch of Tikhiri gram panchayat under Mahakalapada block.On Tuesday, the team first visited Mahakalapada police station and recorded statements of the erstwhile IIC of the police station, Manas Kumar Mallick, and other police officers regarding the case. Subsequently, the team also met the block development officer (BDO), Mahakalapada, Rabi Narayan Acharya, and other staff in the block office. The team also interacted with Chameli Ojha in her house at Tikhiri village and recorded her statement along with other villagers.According to the complaint, Ojha was allegedly assaulted and manhandled by police and Mahakalapada BDO on June 11 after she raised allegations of corruption against officials.During its stay, the team will conduct a detailed inquiry and record statements of witnesses. It will also meet the district magistrate, superintendent of police and other officials of various departments.The team is also expected to record statements from witnesses, doctors of district headquarters hospital at Kendrapada, officials, locals and other individuals connected to the case. Investigators are also likely to scrutinise viral social media videos related to the incident, statements made by the police, officers and others, if available on record, and accounts provided by eyewitnesses.Earlier, Human Rights Front (HRF) India chairperson Manoj Jena had also filed a petition before NHRC on July 14, alleging that Ojha had been falsely implicated in a case registered on the complaint of Mahakalapada BDO on charges, including attempt to murder, causing hurt and obstruction of a public servant.NHRC took cognisance of the complaint and directed its registrar to forward a copy to the district magistrate and superintendent of police, Kendrapada, seeking an inquiry and an expeditious report. The SP subsequently submitted a detailed report to the commission on June 27, stating that three FIRs had been registered in the matter and that they were cross-cases.Ojha had earlier written to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi in June alleging that officials were hindering developmental works in her gram panchayat by withholding payments to persons who had executed development works.In her letter, she alleged that she had gone to the BDO’s office on June 11 to request clearance of pending bills, but the BDO and others abused her. She further alleged that police assaulted and misbehaved with her inside a vehicle while taking her to the police station.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bhubaneswar | Silver Rate in Bhubaneswar | Bank Holidays in Bhubaneswar | Public Holidays in Bhubaneswar | Petrol Price in Bhubaneswar | Diesel Price in Bhubaneswar | CNG Price in Bhubaneswar | LPG Price in BhubaneswarStay updated with the latest Bhubaneswar news. Download the TOI App.