The Odisha government has taken action amidst a controversy by moving Angul DIG Brijesh Rai to the State Police Headquarters in Cuttack. The move follows allegations leveled against Mr. Rai and his wife by a female home guard stationed at their home.
The Odisha Human Rights Commission has taken notice of the situation, emphasizing the importance of conducting a comprehensive investigation.
As part of the formal response, the Home Department reassigned Mr. Rai to a different position, and also launched a broader review of the police’s handling of such situations. According to a Director General of Police’s (DGP) directive, IPS officer Jai Narayan Pankaj from the 2005 batch has been appointed to replace Mr. Rai. In addition to his current duties as the Inspector General of Police for the Special Task Force (STF), Mr. Pankaj will take on additional responsibilities such as overseeing the North Central Range, Talcher, and serving as the Principal of the Police Training College (PTC) in Angul.