Sambalpur, May 23: An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Sambalpur Town Police Station has been suspended after being caught stealing seized contraband from the station’s own storeroom.
The cop has been identified as Bidyut Panda.
According to sources, Panda allegedly stole two cartons of cough syrup, which had been previously confiscated during an anti-drug operation.
The stolen items, which are often misused as narcotics, had been stored in the station's evidence room after being seized in large quantities by the police. The theft came to light following an internal complaint, prompting a swift departmental investigation.
Following the complaint, officials recovered the missing cartons of cough syrup from ASI Panda’s possession. The evidence recovery confirmed the allegations, leading to his immediate suspension from duty.
Sources revealed that ASI Panda had only recently been promoted before this incident.
