Odisha DGP suspends five police officers amid alleged assault on Army Major, fiancée

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania has suspended five police officers in connection with an alleged altercation between an Army officer and personnel from the Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar.

The officers suspended include former Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Bharatpur police station Dinakrushna Mishra, Sub-Inspector Baisalini Panda, Women Assistant Sub-Inspectors (WASI) Salilamayee Sahoo and Sagarika Rath, and Constable Balaram Hansda. They face suspension for gross misconduct.

This disciplinary action follows accusations that Major Gurvansh Singh, an officer of the Indian Army’s Sikh Regiment, and his fiancée were mistreated and assaulted by police when they visited the station to report a road rage incident.

A notification from the Odisha police stated, “During the period the order remains in force, they will remain under the disciplinary control of the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, and will receive SA and DA as per Rule 90 of the Odisha Service Code.”

The DGP has also ordered a Crime Branch investigation into the matter. Following this directive, a five-member team from the Crime Branch visited the Bharatpur police station to conduct a probe. According to sources, the team interrogated station personnel for over four hours and reviewed related documents.

The incident allegedly took place on September 14, when Major Gurvansh Singh and his fiancée, Ankita Pradhan, were accused of attacking police officers after arriving at the station around 3 AM to lodge a complaint. Police personnel claimed that when a female Sub-Inspector requested a written complaint, Singh and his fiancée became agitated and assaulted the officers. Ankita Pradhan allegedly bit the Sub-Inspector and assaulted four constables, including two women, injuring them. Both Singh and his fiancée were subsequently arrested, with Singh later being released on bail.

In a separate development, another complaint has been filed accusing the police of assaulting Major Singh and his fiancée that night. Major Singh, originally from New Delhi, is reportedly posted with the 22 Sikh Regiment in Kolkata.