Woman moves OHRC alleging police assault on minor sons, Odisha Police reject charges

Bhubaneswar: A woman from Jagatsinghpur district has approached the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC), accusing local police personnel of assaulting her and her minor sons, an allegation that has been strongly denied by the police.

In her petition to the rights panel, Aklima Bibi, a resident of Hatt Bazar under Jagatsinghpur Town police station limits, claimed that police personnel forcibly entered her house on December 11 and physically assaulted her and her sons after failing to find her husband, Sk Nawab, at home. She alleged that the police kicked her and beat her sons with belts, seeking justice for what she described as unlawful action.

“If my husband is involved in any case, the police should proceed against him. There is no justification for attacking me or my minor children,” she stated in her complaint filed before the OHRC on Friday.

However, Jagatsinghpur police dismissed the allegations as “false, baseless and motivated.” In an official statement issued on Saturday, the police said their actions were lawful and carried out in accordance with established procedures, while maintaining due sensitivity towards minors and respect for individual rights.

According to the police, the visit to Sk Nawab’s residence was part of an ongoing investigation into a temple theft case. While searches were conducted at several locations, Nawab was not found at home. The police said his wife was asked to inform him to appear at the police station once he returned.

The police further claimed that during the visit, Aklima Bibi and her three sons confronted the police team and did not cooperate with the inquiry. They also alleged that a video recovered from a minor’s mobile phone showed the boy holding a handgun along with a magazine and live ammunition inside the house, in the presence of his parents.

In view of the seriousness of the matter, the police said the minor, along with elder family members, was called for counselling on December 18. During the counselling session, the minor reportedly disclosed that the firearm and ammunition had been brought by his father with the intention of selling them locally through illegal arms trade.

The police maintained that the complaint lodged with the OHRC was an attempt to derail the investigation into the temple theft case and evade scrutiny in the alleged arms trafficking matter. They asserted that the petition was filed to tarnish the image of Jagatsinghpur police and obstruct the ongoing probe against Sk Nawab.

(with inputs from agencies)