Suspected custodial death: Odisha Cong for action against cops

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) today demanded registration of case against the police officials responsible for the alleged custodial death of a tribal youth of Bhalupali, at Ainthapali police station.
A four-member team of the OPCC, which visited Bhalupali and called on the family members of the deceased, Abinash Munda, also demanded judicial probe into the incident conducted by a sitting judge of high court besides Rs 30 lakh compensation for the family members of the deceased.
The Congress team included former PCC president Jayadev Jena, party's Chairman of ST Cell, former MP Pradeep Majhi, Koraput MLA Krishna Chandra Sagaria and Jharsuguda MLA, Naba Kishore Das.

Addressing a press conference, Jayadev Jena said, "It is a shocking incident. The police department is no more under the control of Odisha chief minister. We visited the house of Abinash Munda and met his family members. Case under section 302 should be registered against the police officials responsible for the death of Abinash."
Atrocity on tribals and Dalits are on the rise in the state, Jena alleged.
Pradeep Majhi said that the custodial death at Ainthapali police station is tantamount to a cold blooded murder.

"The Congress will stage demonstration demanding security for the tribal and Dalit in Odisha at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi after February 25," Majhi said.

The 19-year-old Abinash Munda had died at the Ainthapali police station on February 8.
Though police claimed that Abinash committed suicide in custody, the people of Bhalupali area alleged that the youth was beaten to death by the police.
An irate mob had also set the police station on fire before ransacking it as the news of the death spread on February 9.