Women Attack Female ASP with Slippers and Sticks in Balrampur, Stone Pelting and Chaos Erupt Following Custodial Death
In a chaotic incident in Balrampur, Chhattisgarh, enraged locals attacked a female Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Nimisha Pandey, with slippers, sticks, and stones after a peon working under NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) allegedly committed suicide while in police custody. The incident has sparked a massive protest, leading to clashes between police and the public.
The situation escalated when relatives of the deceased, Guru Chand Mandal, refused to accept his body following the post-mortem conducted by a team of specialist doctors at Balrampur District Hospital. The 30-year-old peon, working on a contractual basis, reportedly took his life in the Balrampur Police Station toilet on Thursday afternoon after being called in for questioning about his missing wife.
Events Leading Up to the Attack
The incident began when police denied the family and NRHM employees access to the alleged suicide scene, which led to outrage among the gathered crowd. Subsequently, they staged a protest at the police station and blocked the National Highway (NH) with slogans against the police. The protest escalated, leading police to resort to a lathi charge, which in turn incited the crowd further. The crowd responded with stone pelting, and only late at night did the situation somewhat stabilize.
On Friday, forensic experts from Ambikapur Medical College, including Dr. Santu Bag and Dr. Ravi, were called in to conduct the post-mortem under video documentation and magistrate supervision, as ordered by District and Sessions Judge Ashok Kumar Sahu. Judicial Magistrate First Class Deepak Sharma was appointed as the investigative officer to ensure a transparent investigation under the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Clashes and Attack on ASP Pandey
Following the post-mortem, the family of the deceased initially refused to accept the body, demanding a government job for a family member, compensation, and a fair investigation. This prompted more crowd gathering and a roadblock on the NH. After lengthy discussions, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) assured an impartial investigation, and the family agreed to proceed with the body for the last rites.
While preparations were underway to transport the body from the hospital, tensions flared again. A group of women, present in the hospital compound, turned aggressive and attacked ASP Nimisha Pandey, who was attempting to maintain order. Despite her efforts to calm the crowd, the women assaulted her with slippers and sticks and pelted stones at her, causing her to fall and sustain injuries as she attempted to escape.
Suspension of Station In-Charge and Policeman
In response to the unrest, Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Banker Raman suspended Balrampur Police Station In-Charge Pramod Russia and constable Ajay Yadav. The suspensions are part of an ongoing internal investigation.
Political Response and Special Committee Formation
The Congress Party has constituted an eight-member team to investigate the matter, led by Ambikapur Mayor Dr. Ajay Tirkey. The team includes prominent members like Shafi Ahmed, Rajendra Tiwari, Madhu Gupta, Seema Soni, KP Singh, Lal Sai, and Dinesh Yadav. This committee will work to gather details surrounding the incident and assist in the investigation into the peon’s death and the subsequent public unrest.
The situation remains tense in Balrampur as authorities continue to investigate both the suicide incident and the ensuing violence.