Athagarh IIC shunted out

OST Bureau
Cuttack, Sep 19:
Acting on the directive of the State Election Commission (SEC), the state government on Wednesday withdrew the IIC of Athagarh police station Gyanaranjan Samal with immediate effect for trying to influence the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections following a complaint lodged in this regard by the Congress.

“Samal was withdrawn from his office in view of Thursday’s urban local body elections. He was asked to leave Athagarh by 5 pm and report at the district police headquarters here (Cuttack) with immediate effect. He was asked not to return to Athagarh until further orders,” said Cuttack (Rural) SP Gurudash Kundu, adding that the in-charge officer of Khuntuni police station Nirod Mohanty has been given additional charge of the Athagarh PS.
The role of Samal came to the fore after he allegedly asked a Congress sympathiser and son of one of his junior staff to stop working against the ruling BJD candidate in the polls.
Taking strong exception to the conduct of the IIC, District Congress president Prakash Behera along with his party men later met the SEC and lodged a complaint.