In a shocking display of protest, an Odisha family carried a woman's body on a bicycle for 12 km to the police station, alleging police inaction in arresting suspects in her murder case.
Key Points
- The protest was triggered by the police's failure to arrest suspects in connection with the woman's death following a neighbourhood dispute.
- The family demanded immediate arrest of the accused, claiming negligence by the police.
- Police have arrested one person in connection with the case and are searching for two others who are absconding.
Members of a family in Odisha's Balasore district on Tuesday carried the body of a woman on a bicycle for around 12 km to a police station, alleging inaction in arresting those accused of her murder.
Video clips of the family carrying the body on the carrier of the bicycle went viral on social media, prompting senior police officials to rush to the police station.
The family of Kamala Sethi (39), a resident of Haripur village, took her body from their home to Khaira police station, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.
According to police, the incident stemmed from a dispute between neighbours during construction work on Sunday.
Kamala Sethi died on the spot during the clash, while her sister-in-law, Sakuntala Sethi, sustained serious injuries. She was first admitted to a local hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Family members alleged that despite the woman's death and another person being critically injured, police had failed to arrest the prime accused.
They demanded immediate action against the accused persons.
"As the police did not take any action against the accused, we decided to bring the body on a bicycle to the police station as a mark of protest," a family member, Hemant Sethi, said.
The police, however, denied allegations of negligence.
Balasore Superintendent of Police Pratyush Diwakar, along with other officials, reached the spot and assured the family that the accused would be arrested soon.
"The family refused to take the body in an ambulance, though one was following the bicycle. We assured them that the culprits would be nabbed soon and the investigation is underway," the SP said.
The police said one person has been arrested in connection with the case, while two others are absconding.
