Youth dead in custody, police station set on fire

A youth died in police custody, trigerring a mob frenzy which led to the setting on fire a police station, 50 km from here, in Odisha's Khurda district.
The incident took place yesterday evening and though none was injured when the mob turned its ire on Begunia police station and set fire to it, the state government today transferred its inspector-in-charge and ordered a probe into the incident, official sources here said.
The body of Hemant Nayak, a resident of Bhimpur village taken by police for questioning on Saturday, was found hanging from a tree at Badaberana under Begunia police station yesterday.

As the news about it spread, a large number of locals barged into the police station, poured kerosene on the furniture and set it on fire last night. Some vehicles parked in the police station compound were also torched by the mob, who then staged a road blockade alleging Nayak was killed by the police.
The youth's family said he and three others had been detained in connection with a petty offence. While the other three returned home on Saturday night, Nayak's body bearing wounds was found hanging yesterday.
Police claimed Nayak had probably committed suicide.

Home Secretary U N Behera said the district collector of Khurda and the Inspector General(Central Range) would probe the incident and submit detailed reports.

The inspector in-charge of Begunia police station has been transferred, he said.
Khurda Collector Roopa Mishra, who visited the police station today, said the entire episode, including the circumstances that led to the incident, was being investigated and the inquest on Nayak's body would be conducted again.
Nayak's family has approached the state human rights commission seeking an independent probe into the death.