Police Officer Suspended for Stealing Seized Narcotics

In a shocking breach of duty, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Sambalpur Town Police Station, Bidyut Panda, has been suspended after being caught stealing seized contraband from the station's storeroom. The stolen items, two cartons of cough syrup, were previously confiscated during an anti-drug operation and had been stored in the station's evidence room. The theft was uncovered after an internal complaint, prompting a departmental investigation, which recovered the missing cartons from ASI Panda's possession. This incident has sparked criticism from civil society groups and calls for stricter oversight mechanisms in handling seized narcotics.

Key Takeaways:

• ASI Bidyut Panda was suspended for stealing two cartons of cough syrup from the Sambalpur Town Police Station's storeroom, which were seized during an anti-drug operation.
• The stolen items were stored in the station's evidence room, and the theft was uncovered after an internal complaint prompted a departmental investigation.
• The recovered evidence confirmed ASI Panda's involvement, leading to his immediate suspension from duty.
• ASI Panda had recently been promoted before this incident occurred, adding to the embarrassment for the local police force.
• Pharmaceutical drugs like cough syrup are often misused as narcotics, as seen in this case.
• The Sambalpur Police has assured an ongoing inquiry and promises to deal sternly with any lapses in protocol.

Statistics:

• 2 cartons of cough syrup were stolen from the Sambalpur Town Police Station's storeroom.
• The stolen items were seized during an anti-drug operation conducted by the police.
• ASI Bidyut Panda had been recently promoted before the incident occurred.
• The Sambalpur Police has initiated an inquiry into the breach of duty.

Sources:

• "https://images.odishatv.in/uploadimage/library/16_9/16_9_0/recent_photo_1747973967.webp"
• "Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Orissa TV."