Slum dwellers protest ‘illegal’ arrest in brown sugar trade

‘Haladipadia slum becomes
a major transit point of ‘brown sugar’ smuggling’

Bhubaneswar: Hundreds
of slum dwellers of Haladipadia slum here blocked the road just in front of the
Laxmisagar police station demanding immediate release of a man whom the same
police station officials arrested on Sunday on the charge of brown sugar smuggling
‘illegally.’

Arguing that the police
on Sunday has arrested Ram Singh ‘illegally,’ Bijay Mandal, one of the
protestors, alleged that they have been complaining of brown sugar smuggling in
Haladipadia slum since last few years. But the police instead of nabbing the
actual culprits arrested Ram as he has been leading the agitation against the illegal
trade.

Bijay said, “One Pramod
Mohanty, a habitual offender and also staying in the Haladipadia slum has been doing
brown sugar trade with the help of Laxmisagar police. He started his business
again after returning from jail after seven months a few day age and we informed the same to
the police, but in vain.”

Since police took no
action we raided Pramod’s house and asked him not to do the trade in the slum. During
the enquiry a scuffle erupted in which Pramod sustained minor injuries. But the
police arrested Ram and forwarded him to court on the charge of illegal brown
sugar trade illegally while sending the actual culprit Pramod to hospital for
treatment, alleged Bijay.

“Haladipadia has become
a major transit point of ‘brown sugar’ smuggling in Bhubaneswar. Smugglers are
doing the trade with the help of police officials here,” rued another
protestor.