Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt on Thursday suspended senior IPS officer Dayal Gangwar, who has been at the centre of a controversy following last month’s Balianta lynching case involving railway constable Soumya Ranjan Swain.“Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi has suspended Dayal Gangwar,” a brief statement from the CMO read, without elaborating on the grounds for action.Govt sources said Gangwar’s role is not directly linked to the lynching, but he faces an administrative inquiry after Swain’s family accused him of harassment and exploitation. The family claims Swain was compelled to serve as Gangwar’s domestic help during his tenure as ADG (railway) in 2023–24.As per the suspension order, seen by TOI, “The DGP submitted a confidential report regarding retention of eight govt railway police personnel by Dayal Gangwar for work in his residence, even after his transfer from the post of ADGP railway & coastal security, without approval of the competent authority. A disciplinary proceeding against Gangwar is contemplated on the grounds of grave misconduct as a member of the Indian Police Service.”Gangwar’s suspension comes days after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) questioned him during its probe earlier this month into Swain’s murder and misuse of his post. Gangwar had earlier been shunted from the post of ADG (communication) and assigned as officer on special duty (OSD) in the home department on May 25 — a posting widely seen as punitive and insignificant.The govt railway police (GRP) recently submitted a report to the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of Odisha police, alleging that Swain was illegally engaged for Gangwar’s domestic work.Swain, 32, was lynched by a mob on May 7 after allegations surfaced that he attempted to rape a 22-year-old woman on the roadside. The incident unfolded in front of police personnel, prompting the suspension of four officers and the transfer of the Balianta inspector in-charge. So far, 18 people have been arrested.
