Kandhamal cop suicide: Police inspector transferred over 'harassment' charge

A police inspector has been transferred after she was accused of mentally harassing a cop who is suspected to have died by suicide in Odishas Kandhamal district, an officer said on Monday.Sub-inspector Swagatika Behera, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her quarters in G Udayagiri police station, around 200km from here, on Saturday.

A police inspector has been transferred after she was accused of mentally harassing a cop who is suspected to have died by suicide in Odisha's Kandhamal district, an officer said on Monday.

Sub-inspector Swagatika Behera, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her quarters in G Udayagiri police station, around 200km from here, on Saturday. In a complaint, Behera's mother alleged that her daughter, who joined as a sub-inspector around eight months ago, died by suicide due to mental torture by G Udayagiri inspector Rebati Sabar. The family sat on a hunger strike on Sunday, demanding stringent action against the officer.

''Sabar has been transferred to the district police headquarters in Phulbani,'' Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal told reporters.

Each and every allegation will be checked independently during the probe, which will be headed by deputy superintendent of police, he said.

Behera's family had withdrawn the strike after the SP’s statement following which her body was brought to her native village in Khurda district on Monday.

Villagers blocked the Khurda-Puri Jagannath road by placing the body on the street near Nirakarpur. The blockade, which lasted for around four hours, was lifted after the district administration gave an assurance of pension to her mother and a job to the kin of the family.