Paradip: A youth, Manoranjan Reddy, aged about 30 years died under suspicious circumstances here on Saturday. His death prompted intense protests as Reddy worked as a contractual labourer in the area and the locals alleged that he died in police custody.
The deceased’s father, Prahallad said that Manoranjan died due to the torture inflicted upon him in police custody. The family levelled allegations and demanded a probe into the casualty. “Why was the autopsy conducted at the night? My son succumbed because of custodial torture, said Prahallad.
According to the police, Manoranjan was involved in selling drugs in the locality and they were tipped about a deal on Saturday. During the police raid, Manoranjan and his associate tried to flee abandoning their motorcycle. In the process he hit with a wall and fell unconscious, the police said.
“We rushed him to Atharabanki hospital from where he was shifted to Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital, where he succumbed,” the police said, adding that autopsy would confirm the cause of death and ruled out any form of custodial torture.
