Odisha: 7 engineering students arrested for allegedly stalking and harassing Army Major and his fiancée
BHUBANESWAR: Seven engineering students were arrested on Saturday following hours of interrogation for allegedly stalking and harassing an Army Major and his fiancée on the night of September 14.
The students, however, denied the charges and claimed they were being falsely implicated.
"The arrests were made after interrogation and analysis of the evidence. Further investigation is ongoing," said Additional Commissioner of Police, Krushna Prasad Das.
The incident occurred on Chandaka Road, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The Army Major Gurvansh Singh and his fiancée, who were allegedly "hounded" and "abused" by the group, approached the Bharatpur police station, urging the police to take immediate action to apprehend the suspects.
However, the police reportedly did not respond as requested, instead asking the couple to file a written complaint. Despite the couple's pleas for immediate intervention, fearing the suspects would flee, tensions escalated into a verbal altercation.
Subsequently, it is alleged that the police locked the Army Major in the station and brutally assaulted his fiancée, even tying her hands. The Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of the station, Dinakrushna Mishra, is also accused of attempting to sexually assault the woman.
The fiancée was later charged with assaulting the police and was forwarded to court, though she was granted bail after two days in custody.
In response, five police officers, including IIC Dinakrushna Mishra, have been suspended pending investigation by the Odisha Crime Branch.
Meanwhile, the families of the suspended officers have refuted the allegations of custodial torture and sexual assault. They are calling for the suspension orders to be revoked. Various police associations have also echoed these demands, arguing that suspending the officers before the completion of the investigation is demoralizing for the police force.
"The suspension of these officers before the investigation is complete is unjust and will affect morale within the police department. We urge immediate withdrawal of the suspension," said Suryamani Mishra, a former senior police officer.
