The Orissa High Court has rapped the police commissionerate (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) for its failure to promptly register an FIR on the death of a 28-yearold man despite his parents approaching the police.

The victim Anand Kumar Toppo was a friend of former India hockey star and Olympian Birendra Lakra. Anand Kumar was found hanging in the flat of Lakra in Bhubaneswar on February 28.

Though Anand’s father Bandhana Toppo approached the police a number of times, they are yet to take any action.

Even nine months after the incident, no breakthrough has been made in the case. The high court directed the police to investigate the case and submit the final report within three months.

The court has directed the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Bhubaneswar to personally monitor the investigation of the case while keeping all influences at bay. Lakra is currently a deputy superintendent of police in the Odisha Police.

The high court’s judgement came after Bandhana Toppo filed a petition in the high court seeking a crime branch probe into the death case as the police refused to register the petitioner’s complaint and investigate the matter.

The high court in its order on December 6, said: “The inaction shown by the police is deplorable. If there is even a shred of truth in the allegations made herein, such infamy by the police deserves strong condemnation.... This court fails to fathom as to why the petitioner should be made to rush to the high court for seeking any order from this court to get an FIR registered.”

Before delivering the order on December 6, the high court had also summoned the inspector-in-charge of Infocity Police Station on November 23.

“Unfortunately, the inspector-in-charge could not offer a plausible explanation for the non-registration of the FIR despite the fact the old parents of the deceased have approached the police station on several occasions,” the high court said.

However, after the petitioner approached the court, the Infocity police acknowledged the written complaint of the petitioner and registered the complaint as FIR on November 24.