Forest guards thrashed by locals for mistaking couple as drug peddlers in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Angul, Mar 8:

An attempt to chase a bike-borne couple and interrogate them on suspicion of carrying marijuana in Angul district of Odisha turned out to be a nightmare for two forest guards yesterday.

The forest guards were thrashed by locals for misbehaving the couple after the husband-wife duo were proved blameless as the sack they were carrying on the bike was found loaded with fodder.

According to reports, a couple, identified as Prashant Kumar Sahoo and Bishnupriya Sahoo of Saradhapur village under Purunakot police limits in the district, was heading towards their residence in Angul town last afternoon on a bike loaded with a sack of fodder.

However, two forest guards, identified as Alok Sahoo and Jogesh Satapathy, followed the couple on suspicion of carrying ganja and stopped the duo at Badakera Square.

They questioned and ill-treated the couple for around half an hour mistaking them as drug peddlers and forced to open the sack despite their frequent requests to let them go.

The incident soon turned centre of attraction for passersby with gathering of locals to witness what was going there.

The forest guards forcefully opened the consignment which was found to be fodder following which irate people along with the couple ordered the forest guards to refill the consignment.

However, they did not agree to do so, which ensued a scuffle and the couple with irate people thrashed them.

Later, they begged apology and left the spot refilling the sack before arrival of police.

The incident was captured on mobile phone by some witnesses, which has now gone viral on social media.