Two police personnel were suspended and a home guard was slapped with a show-cause notice on Sunday for allegedly leaking confidential information about an upcoming raid to a suspected cattle smuggler in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, officials said.
According to a senior district police officer, the enforcement action was conducted within the Jharpokharia Police Station area against the cattle smuggler on June 13 under the directions from the Eastern Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
These three police personnel have allegedly tipped off the cattle smugglers ahead of time, enabling them to successfully flee the scene just before the raiding party arrived, the officer added.
“On the instruction of the DIG, a departmental inquiry was conducted by the inspector in-charge of Jharpokharia Police Station. Based on the findings, the SP has suspended an assistant sub-inspector and a constable, both posted at the same PS, for allegedly helping the cattle smuggler,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar Gochhayat.
Furthermore, a home guard who was reportedly privy to the confidential activities of the police station has been served a show-cause notice, directing him to explain his involvement in the security breach within 30 days, Gochhayat noted.
The SP has made recommendations to concern authority for his dismissal, the additional SP said.
Meanwhile, the Mayurbhanj police have intensified efforts to trace and arrest the cattle smuggler.
