Impounded bikes at Nayapalli police station in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 8: A youth attempted suicide on the Chandrasekharpur police station campus last evening after being allegedly harassed for late registration of a case.

Santosh Kumar Swain, whose motorcycle was stolen on September 17, is battling for life at a private hospital here.

“Two days after my brother’s motorcycle was stolen, we submitted a written complaint to the Chandrasekharpur police, but they did not register a case. On September 19, the Nayagarh police seized the motorcycle from a spot in Daspalla, where a dacoity and shooting had taken place. We again approached the Chandrasekharpur police, who registered the case only on September 21. However, the Nayagarh police did not return the vehicle citing late registration of the case. They also threatened to arrest Santosh in connection with the dacoity,” said Jyoti Ranjan Pradhan, Santosh’s cousin. Daspalla is a block in Nayagarh district.

Family members said Santosh was under a lot of mental pressure fearing arrest. On Wednesday, he took heavy dose of a medicine, which he had been prescribed for treatment of fits, to commit suicide. R.N. Satpathy, inspector in-charge of Chandrashekharpur police station, denied allegations of harassment and said the family had approached the police four days after the motorcycle was stolen.

“I registered the case but later came to know that it had been seized in Nayagarh. The youth was very scared and feared he might be arrested,” said Satpathy.

“The cops have failed to check cases of motorcycle thefts. They have been harassing people trying to lodge complaints,” said Abhisek Joshi, state youth president of Utkal Bharat, a political outfit.

Joshi, along with a group of youths, today submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of police with regard to the suicide attempt made by Swain.

“Criminals are striking at will,” said Santosh Kumar Malia, whose two-wheeler was stolen on Saturday. The vehicle is yet to be traced.