Kendrapara, Sept. 4: The district police administration has ordered a departmental probe into the alleged torture of a 15-year-old Dalit boy by a cop at the Rajnagar police station.

The victim, a Class IX student of a government-run high school, was allegedly beaten up by a police officer for playing with a group of children in his village yesterday. He has been admitted to a local hospital.

The victim, a resident of Rayagada village, was summoned to the police station and asked to do sit-ups. After that, he was allegedly beaten up by the police officer in the presence of his father and other villagers. Police officials, however, alleged that the boy was a mischief monger. To discipline the offender, the boy was punished and was asked to do sit-ups.

“The police officer physically and mentally tortured the innocent teenager. The victim is traumatised by the behaviour of the cop. The police were within their right to take legal action and register a case against the delinquent,” said Sangram Mallick, a rights activist.

“The errant officer needs to be booked under the Prevention of Atrocity against Scheduled Caste And Scheduled Tribes Act. If the unruly police officer goes unpunished, the Dalit outfits will resort to agitation,” Mallick said.

“My son had committed no crime. He was assaulted at the police station and that left him physically and mentally hurt,” the boy’s father said.

“Allegations regarding police excesses are being looked into. Preliminary investigation conducted into the purported incident suggested that the boy was not beaten up as claimed. However, the accused police officer forced him to do sit-ups at the police station. Disciplinary proceedings would be initiated against the accused officer after inquiry,” said Kendrapara superintendent of police Sarthak Sadangi.