Phulbani: The police have arrested Bapi alias Biswa Ranjan Kanhar, said to be the prime accused in the Phiringia Police Station arson, in Kandhamal district on Sunday.
The investigating officer of the case, DSP Kamalakant Panda today informed that the prime accused in the arson case, Biswa Ranjan Kanhar was apprehended from Phulbani town.
Including the arrest of the former sarpanch of Phiringia gram panchayat, the total number of arrests, in this case, has reached 24, the police official said, adding that Kanhar is accused of instigating the people for violence.
On Friday, Odisha DGP suspended former Phiringia Police Station IIC, Tapan Nahak, for negligence in duty and fleeing from the police station during the violence. The locals alleged that the IIC and his staff were involved in the illegal ganja trade.
After the mob ransacked the police station and set it on fire on August 5, cases were registered against more than 50 persons in the police station arson incident.
Also Read: Police Station Set Ablaze In Kandhamal Over Cop-Mafia Nexus
