BALASORE: The delay to probe the Chandaneswar Chadak Mela lathicharge incident that left 40 devotees injured has raised doubts about its fairness. Meanwhile, RDC (central division) Arabinda Padhee, who was to visit Balasore on May 28 and 29 to probe the incident, has rescheduled his tour for other engagements and the car festival preparation. “A probe is likely in the second week of June,” he said.The apprehensions among the people are palpable. “The RDC would conduct a probe almost two months after the incident. Had the probe been done within a couple of days, it would have exposed the police excesses,” said Jayanta Das, a civil society member.On April 12, police had resorted to lathicharge following a scuffle between cops and devotees who had gathered to participate in the famous Chadak mela. The Congress, on the other hand, feels that the complicated guidelines set for the probe would discourage witnesses from coming forward to record statements.Former Congress MP Kartikeswar Patra said since the advertisement about the probe published in newspapers was in English, not many would be aware of it. Moreover, as the advertisement had sought an affidavit from each witness, they may avoid getting into the legal tangles.This apart, the Congress leader said, as police are allegedly registering cases against the injured persons by searching for their names in the medical records, many have gone underground fearing arrest. “With genuine witnesses keeping away, an impartial probe is impossible,” he said.Patra instead suggested that the RDC should visit Chandaneswar and organise an open mass hearing camp which would facilitate the victims to directly interact with him. MEDICAL AID TO VICTIM: While the administration is gearing up for a probe, reports about negligence in providing medical assistance to a lathicharge victim has put it in a fix. An injured, Paresh Jena (45), of Mandarsahi village under Bhogarai block has been admitted to High-tech hospital in Bhubaneswar. With an injury in his spinal cord, he is battling for his life.Collector Akhila Bihari Ota said he had met the victim at the hospital and the administration would bear the cost of his treatment.
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