Odisha govt lays norms for cops to deal with defence personnel

CUTTACK: In the wake of the alleged police assault on an Army officer and his fiancée at Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar on September 15, which fuelled a national outrage, the state government has finalised a standard operating procedure (SOP) for cops to deal with defence personnel.

The SOP was approved by the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday, advocate general (AG) Pitambar Acharya submitted in the Orissa High Court.

Taking it into consideration, the division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho on Tuesday fixed November 19 for final order and disposal of the PIL it had registered after taking suo motu cognizance of the Bharatpur police station incident. The court, on October 8, had directed the state government to inform the steps intended to be taken to protect the dignity of the personnel of the Armed Forces on the police station/outpost premises.