One Arrested for Obstructing and Abusing Police During Child Labour Rescue Operation
Manoj Kanta Dash,,Odishabarta
Political Leader Accused of Obstructing Police Team During Rescue of Two Minor Boys
Brahmapur, August 22: In a significant action during an ongoing crackdown against child labour, Gopalpur Police arrested a 36-year-old man for allegedly obstructing, abusing and threatening police personnel while they were carrying out a child labour rescue operation at Rangeilunda Bazar.
On August 21, 2026, a team of the Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (IAHTU), Brahmapur, conducted a raid at a hotel in Rangeilunda Bazar and rescued two minor boys. The children were subsequently taken for production before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
According to police, while the team was leaving the spot with the rescued children, B. Somanath Patra (36), son of B. Lachheya Patra of Bhabinarayanpur under Gopalpur Police Station, allegedly wrongfully restrained Inspector Soubhagya Swain, the team leader, and other police personnel.
Police further alleged that Patra abused the officers in the local Ganjam dialect, attempted to snatch the rescued minors from the police team and intimidated the officers through threatening gestures.
In this connection, Gopalpur PS Case No. 484 dated August 21, 2026 was registered under Sections 126(2), 115(2), 224, 221, 296, 132, 351(2), 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Patra was arrested on August 22 and subsequently forwarded to the Hon’ble Court.
Police said the accused is also involved in two other criminal cases previously registered at Gopalpur Police Station.
A separate case has also been registered against the hotel owner, Sudhakar Panda, who has been identified by police as the prime accused in connection with the child labour offence.
Public Applauds Police Action
The arrest has been widely appreciated by sections of the public, particularly those who believe that police personnel engaged in rescuing children from illegal employment should be allowed to discharge their duties without obstruction or intimidation.
The incident has also renewed calls for a sustained campaign against child labour in hotels, lodges and other commercial establishments across Brahmapur.
Questions Raised Over Child Labour in Baidyanathpur Area
At the same time, questions are being raised about enforcement against child labour in establishments falling under Baidyanathpur Police Station limits, particularly along the stretch from the New Bus Stand towards the Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences area.
Citizens have urged the police authorities to conduct regular and visible inspections of hotels, lodges, eateries and other establishments where children may be employed illegally. They have also called for greater transparency in the registration and investigation of cases relating to child labour and offences against children.
While several police stations, including those in the peripheral areas, have been conducting visible enforcement drives, members of the public are questioning whether similar sustained action is being undertaken within the Baidyanathpur police station jurisdiction.
However, allegations of police inaction or informal settlement should be independently verified before being published as established facts. If there is credible evidence of cases being settled without registration of FIRs, the matter warrants a formal inquiry by senior police authorities.
The latest arrest during the child labour rescue operation sends a clear message that obstructing police personnel performing lawful duties will not be tolerated. Citizens have also urged Brahmapur Police to continue the anti-child-labour drive across all police station jurisdictions so that vulnerable children are protected from exploitation.
