Kandhamal SP placed under suspension

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KalingaTimes Correspondent Bhubaneswar, Aug 24: Odisha government on Sunday ordered suspension of Kandhamal district Superintendent of Police Nikhil Kumar Kanodia as tension prevailed in many parts of the state following the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmanananda. The suspension ordered passed in the evening after criticism mounted on the government for the failure of the police to protect

the life of Swami Lakshmanananda and four others. The Kandhamal district police had not been able to strengthen the security in the ashram of Swami Lakshmanananda despite his men informing the Tumudibandha police station about receipt of a letter with a threat to kill the Swami. According to official sources, R.P. Koche, Deputy Inspector General (Southern Range), will remain in-charge of the police administration in Kandhamal district till the appointment of another officer as SP. Kanodia was placed under suspension hours after a delegation of opposition Congress led by Leader of Opposition J.B. Patnaik and Pradesh Congress Committee president Jayadev Jena met Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare and submitted a memorandum seeking dismissal of the Naveen Patnaik Government. The state government had utterly failed to maintain law and order in the state, Patnaik and Jena told reporters after meeting the Governor. The government should step down for its failure to protect the life of Swami Lakshmanananda even after the police were informed about the threatening letter. Earlier in the day, the authorities had suspended the Officer-in-Charge of Tumudibandha police station Madhusudan Jena Samanta for negligence in discharging his duties.