CPI cries cop excesses

KORAPUT: The Koraput wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has accused police of assaulting one of its activists on charges of being a Maoist sympathizer and confining him to Jeypore sadar police station for 15 days before releasing him on Friday. He was identified as Samara Kirsani, 26, of Kebada Antal village.
Talking to media on Sunday, Kirsani said two persons reached his place on September 13 and sought his help to find a motorcycle stolen from Malkangiri.He accompanied them to Boipariguda police station. "Police found two guns from their possession. They arrested me along with the duo, who police said were Maoists. I was kept in the hazat while the other two were taken to the inspector-in-charge," he said.
According to Kirsani, he was then brought to Jeypore Sadar police station, about 22 km from Boipariguda, and grilled on charges of being a Maoist supporter. "They beat me continuously for three hours. When I feel ill, they gave me some medicine," he said.
Secretary of the CPI Koraput unit Judhistar Raul said, "Kirsani is a marginal farmer and police picked him in a pre-planned manner. We will approach the human rights commission and demonstrate before the sub-collector office at Jeypore in protest against police excesses on October 5."
SP (Koraput) Awinash Kumar refuted the charges. "Police are for protection of people and not to harass them. We will act on specific complaint," he said.