Harassment Allegations Lead Odisha Government To Suspend Senior IPS Officer Immediately

The Odisha government has suspended senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Dayal Gangwar over allegations of harassment made by the family of slain Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Soumya Ranjan Swain. The suspension order, issued on Wednesday, follows weeks after the officer was removed from his post as Additional Director General (ADG) and attached to the Home Department as an officer on special duty.

Officials clarified that the suspension is not directly connected to the May 7 lynching of the GRP constable near Bhubaneswar, in which Swain was allegedly attacked by a mob. In that incident, the constable was reportedly tied to a pole and assaulted, and his post-mortem report indicated death due to severe blunt-force trauma leading to extensive internal bleeding in the brain. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered the suspension after fresh allegations were raised by the deceased constable’s family against Gangwar.

The family has accused the senior IPS officer of subjecting Swain to harassment during his tenure under the officer’s supervision in the Government Railway Police. According to Swain’s father, Dushasan Swain, the constable was allegedly compelled to carry out personal errands unrelated to official duties while serving under Gangwar when he was ADG of the GRP. He further alleged that Swain was made to work at a gym associated with the officer’s acquaintances, claims that have intensified scrutiny over administrative conduct within the police force.

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Although Gangwar, a 1998-batch IPS officer, has not been named in the investigation related to the lynching itself, the allegations of workplace harassment brought by the family prompted disciplinary action by the state government.  Authorities have not yet indicated whether a formal criminal investigation will be initiated based on the harassment claims, but departmental proceedings are expected to follow the suspension.

The case has drawn attention within administrative and law enforcement circles, as it raises questions about internal oversight and workplace conduct within police units. While the lynching case remains under separate investigation, the disciplinary action against a senior officer has added another layer of complexity to the broader controversy surrounding the death of the GRP constable. Further details are awaited as the state government continues to review both the allegations and internal reports related to the officer’s conduct during his tenure in the GRP.

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