Phulbani: Irate mob set ablaze Phiringia police station in Kandhamal district today.
Alleging the involvement of IIC of Phiringia police station in ganja smuggling, the mob set the police station afire, reports said.
The mob demanded action against the IIC and two of his associates, reports added.
Hundreds of locals blocked the road at Phiringia block chhak demanding action against Phiringia IIC Tapan Nahak, home guard Prasant Patra and Rabi Digal and other policemen. The locals ransacked the police station before setting it on fire. The agitators chased and thrashed the policemen.
Several vehicles remained stranded on both sides of Phiringia block Chhak.
According to reports, an SUV belonging to the police loaded with ganja had visited Budhakamba village on the night of August 3 to sell the contraband to a ganja smuggler.
The ganja-laden SUV was detained by Phiringia sarpanch Jalandhar Kanhar, former sarpanch Biswaranjan Kanhar and villagers of Budhakhamba. The villagers had shot a video of the incident and sent the same to the Kandhamal Superintendent of Police (SP) and demanded action against the Phiringia IIC and his associates.
As no action was taken against the IIC and his associates to date the locals took to the street and took law into their hands.
On getting information about the incident, Kandhamal SP Suvendu Kumar Patra, along with other senior police officials and a strong force reached at the station and brought the situation under control, DIG, southern range, Satyabrata Bhoi said.
The fire service team also reached there and doused the flames and the injured police officials were admitted to hospital.
“Now the situation is under control. We will investigate their allegation about the involvement of police officials in ganja smuggling. We also suspect the involvement of some ganja mafia in the incident,” said Bhoi.
The DIG also informed that the SP came to know about their allegation and he has assured to take action if anyone is found involved in the illegal trade.
