Phulbani: A day after locals set Phiringia police station in Odisha's Kandhamal district on fire, SP Suvendu Kumar Patra today transferred its IIC Tapan Kumar Nahaka over his alleged involvement in ganja trading.

The IIC was transferred to the District Police Headquarters.

This apart, home guards Prashant Patra and Rabi Digal have been relieved from work over the same allegation.

"Cases have been registered against more than 30 persons in the police station arson incident. So far, around 15 of them have been identified. They were being questioned," the SP said.

"The viral video pertaining to the alleged ganja trading will be probed to ascertain its truth," the police official said.

The SP also requested the locals to reopen shops in the locality.

Hundreds of irate locals had yesterday torched the police station over the alleged involvement of the cops in illegal trading of cannabis. They demanded strong action against the accused.

According to a source, a police vehicle loaded with ganja had gone to Budhakamba village on August 3 night to sell the contraband item to a peddler. This was noticed by Phiringia sarpanch Jalandhar Kahanr and former sarpanch Biswaranjan Kahanr. The duo along with several villagers intercepted the vehicle. They captured videos of the incident on their mobile phones.

Subsequently, the locals sent the videos to Kandhamal SP the next day demanding action against the three policemen. As no action was taken in this regard, this irked the locals.