-- Citizens’ forum cries for relief
BRAHMAPUR: Incidents of theft,
dacoity and murder, traffic problems and illicit liquor business have increased
during the last couple of months and the people of the Silk city as also of
other parts of the district are overtaken by a sense of insecurity. The police
are reportedly indifferent to public complaints. While the liquor mafias have a
field day, street hoodlums are seen ruling the roost in many areas, giving
clear impression of some nexus with a section of the administration.
These allegations have been made
in a memorandum submitted to the DG of Police, the Home Secretary and the Chief
Minister, by the Brahmapur Nagarik Manch (BNM) stating that Ganjam district in
general and Brahmapur city in particular has turned into a crime zone in the
State. Manch president and former Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly Rama
Chandra Panda warned the Government that it will go for a public protest before
the police headquarters here if the law and order situation does not improve.
He cited the brutal violence of Siddhaguda and Kodala, which occurred due to
failure on the part of the police to act appropriately and in time.
Panda said during the last couple
of months, series of dacoities have taken place in the city, including robbing
of a passenger who got down from a night train at Brahmapur railway station,
have frightened the common men. The killing of a professor couple at Ramkrushna
Nagar in the city on May 14 and the murder of an old woman in Gandhinagar
clearly point to the failure in police patrolling and intelligence in the city
and the district, he said.
Similarly, in the last week, a
fish merchant was robbed on NH-5 near Chhatrapur and a Rambha merchant was also
robbed near Palur under Ganjam block. These indicate serious deterioration of
law and order situation in the region, Panda added.
The memorandum also said earlier,
during the panchayat elections, serial bombings at Kantiagada under Rambha
police station on January 24, at Kamalapadar under Khallikote PS on July 2,
Banthapalli under Digapahandi PS on February 26, Chandpur under Chikiti PS on
February 24, Kudutei under Jagannathprasad PS on February 15, Santoshpur under
Rambha PS on February 16, besides a series of incidents that occurred in
village Badachakada causing injury and deaths, pose serious law and order
questions which need fixing of accountability.
In addition to these, the
memorandum said, tourist places like Potagarh fort under Ganjam PS,
Gopalpur-on-sea are equally crime-prone due to lack of proper policing. Many of
the police stations lack adequate manpower and other infrastructures causing
over-burden of work. Due to lack of effective supervision, many police stations
are encouraging counter FIRs to shift responsibility at the instances of
hoodlums.
According to Panda, the dacoities
in Polsara and Bhanjanagar blocks have created a Chambal-like situation. The
criminals and goons mounted on bikes are creating havoc in the Silk city and
its periphery. There is open fighting of anti-social gangs over illicit liquor
business and two such incidents occurred at Old Bus Stand, Gate Bazaar and
Khodasingi area, he added.
In view of this, Panda welcomed
the change of guard in the police establishment and hoped that it will improve
the situation. The manch urged the Government to set up a District Citizens
Committee for co-ordination between the citizens and the police, increase night
patrolling, publish list of the criminals and seize the mousers available with
anti-socials and liquor mafias to bring about improvement in the situation.
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