Kandhamal, Oct 2: Two cops were suspended and three home guards were sacked form service in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Wednesday for alleged death of a ganja smuggler during police interception.
The five persons were accused of chasing one Jyestha Bandaki with the contraband who was later found mowed down by a vehicle in a mysterious situation.
The cops who faced disciplinary whips today after a violent agitation raised by the locals are identified as SI Ajit Kumar Behera, havildar Ramchandra Nayak and home guards Abhiram Mahanand, Jagabandhu Kanhar and Ratnakar Nayak.
Jyestha was a ganja smuggler from Boudh and was reportedly smuggling contraband from Kandhamal on his two-wheeler. After a tip off, a police van chased them to intercept.
The police van reportedly hit Jyestha’s two-wheeler, leaving him badly injured. An aide managed to escape while the cops allegedly assaulted Jyestha who was already injured, leading to his death. His body was subsequently dumped in Danganamu ghat.
Following an investigation, Kandhamal SP suspended the alleged cops and the homegurards, informed ASP Balabhadra Deep.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of police in connection with the death of the person, Deep added.
