Berhampur: Ganjam district administration detained a history-sheeter under the National Security Act (NSA), police sources said here on Tuesday. The accused was identified as Sagar Behera, 36, of Nandigaon under Jarada police station limits.At least 11 cases, including rioting, hurt, criminal intimidation, extortion, violent assaults, threats, violation of minor mineral rules and Gambling Act etc, were pending against him, police sources said.Collector-cum-district magistrate (Ganjam) Keerthi Vassan V issued a detention order against Behera under the National Security Act-1980 following the recommendation by Berhampur police, said SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M. “The district magistrate was satisfied with the nature, gravity, frequency and continuity of the activities and likelihood of their repetition. The NSA was invoked against Behera to safeguard public peace and tranquility,” he said.The detention order was issued after careful consideration of the police reports, case records, intelligence inputs, station diary entries and some other related materials, he said. This establishes that the accused has been continuously engaging in activities prejudicial to the maintenance of public order.SP (Berhampur) said Jarada police have executed the order of the district magistrate and he was detained in the Berhampur Circle Jail here. The NSA is likely to be invoked against some other persons having long criminal records, who are now in or out of jail to maintain peace in public. Police are preparing the list of such persons in the district, sources said.Invocation of the NSA against Behera assumed significance in the wake of the increase in crimes in the district recently. At least five history-sheeters sustained injuries following encounters by the police recently.
