Cong delegates meet DGP on police excesses in Odisha

A delegation of Congress leaders led by former Odisha PCC Chief Jaydev Jena today met state DGP Sanjeev Marik here to register the party's protest in the alleged police highhandedness on villagers of Belbahali in Keonjhar district.
After the July 7 police-people clash, normalcy eludes the area as local cops continue their excesses against the villagers at the behest of ruling BJD leaders, Jena alleged after meeting the DGP.
"Continuous massive police deployment in and around the village, threat of registration of false cases and arrests and vindictive attitude of the personnel are actually vitiating the situation," Jena told reporters.

He said at least 116 persons, including 63 women were arrested after the July 7 clash and police delayed in the submission of CD (case diary) reports impeding grant of bails.
However, 74 people, including the 63 women were granted bail earlier this week, Jena informed.
Jena said that after his meeting with the DGP, the police deployment in the village is being relaxed.
He categorically said the residents of the locality are not anti-police but their concern over the proposed bridge on river Kusei should be sympathetically addressed by the state government.
At least 20 people, including a Block Development Offier (BDO) and seven cops, were injured in a clash on July 7 when villagers near Anandpur protesting construction of a bridge over Kusei river in Keonjhar turned violent.