Naveen Patnaik seeks judicial probe into 'torture' of Army officer, fiancée at Odisha police station

BHUBANESWAR: Political pressure has mounted on chief minister Mohan Majhi over alleged assault of an Army officer and molestation of his fiancée by cops in Bharatpur police station of Bhubaneswar recently.While former CM Naveen Patnaik demanded judicial inquiry, former chief secretary Bijay Patnaik demanded exemplary action against the ‘erring’ inspector in-charge of Bharatpur.Speaking to media persons at BJD office, Naveen described the incident as very unfortunate. “There must be a full judicial probe and action must be taken quickly,” he said.Naveen, who is the BJD president and leader of opposition in Odisha assembly, said when he was CM, he and his ministers and senior officers would call the citizens to take feedback on their visits to government offices including police stations and hospitals.“We had the system of Mo Sarkar..The BJP government has immediately stopped the pro people initiative of Mo Sarkar and the consequences are visible,” he said.Naveen said the day, the BJP government refused to take action against the governor’s son on a serious case of assault of a govt officer earlier, others got emboldened and sought against him as well.Former chief secretary and former Congress leader Bijay Patnaik said the govt must take exemplary action against the erring inspector in-charge of Bharatpur. “Being a father, I am disturbed. Who empowered a police officer to hit a woman on her chest,” he said.The Army officer has alleged that he was dragged into a room in the police station, subjected to illegal custody and his fiancée was stripped and physically assaulted when they had gone to the police station to lodge a police complaint against road rage. The 32-year-old restaurateur-cum-lawyer has alleged that IIC Dinakrushna Mishra, who and four others were later suspended, stripped her and kicked her.BJP Leader Biranchi Narayan Tripathy said the govt has taken the crime very seriously and has been taking strong action in the matter. Tripathy said the opposition should refrain from politicising the sensitive issue.