September 25th 2024.
Bhubaneswar was once again in the spotlight as the new inspector-in-charge of Bharatpur police station, Deepak Kumar Khandayatray, took over his duties on Monday. The station has been at the center of controversy due to the alleged custodial assault of an Indian Army woman and her male friend. Amidst the ongoing investigation, Inspector Khandayatray conducted a 'special puja' and other rituals at the station, causing some concern as it goes against Section 238 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code.
The news of the rituals quickly reached the ears of city-based advocate, Sourachandra Mohapatra, who expressed his apprehensions about the possibility of evidence being tampered with during the cleaning process before the rituals. He emphasized that this act is a direct violation of Section 238 of BNS and Section 201 of IPC. Mohapatra also questioned whether the investigating officer was consulted and gave approval for the rituals to be conducted.
However, Inspector Khandayatray explained that he took the decision to conduct the rituals within a week of joining the station, as he believed it was necessary to create a calm and peaceful environment before embarking on any tasks. He clarified that the 'havan' was performed with the intention of bringing about a sense of tranquility within the station.
It is worth noting that Khandayatray has had a successful career in the police force, having risen to the rank of inspector in 2021. He has previously served at Nayagarh Sadar, Itamati, and Pipli police stations, and has also worked at the Deputy Commissioner of Police's office in Bhubaneswar.
In regards to the CCTV surveillance at the station, Khandayatray shared that the old Bharatpur police station was already equipped with cameras. However, when the station was relocated to a new building in March of this year, the CCTVs were removed due to technical issues. The installation process was temporarily halted but is now back in progress.
The priest who conducted the rituals explained that they were performed to ward off any negative energies within the police station. The rituals lasted for over two hours, with the intention of bringing a sense of positivity and peace.
Khandayatray took over the position from Dinakrushna Mishra, along with four other officers who were suspended by the Director General of Police. In response to the ongoing controversy, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has established a commission of inquiry under Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash to investigate the Bharatpur incident. The commission has been given a timeframe of 60 days to submit their report.
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