Divyang youth from Sikkim allegedly assaulted by traffic cop in Odisha

In Odisha, a traffic police officer is accused of assaulting Wegen Sherpa, a divyang youth, leaving him in a critical condition. The incident took place in Gopalpur.

According to local reports, Sherpa was enjoying a holiday with friends at Gopalpur beach when the group was stopped by traffic police for a routine check, which typically includes helmet verification and drunk driving inspections. As they were returning home, a traffic cop allegedly struck Sherpa on the head with a lathi, rendering him unconscious. Eyewitnesses reported that he immediately vomited blood and appeared unresponsive for several hours.

Following the assault, Sherpa was initially taken to Berhampur MKCG Medical College for treatment before being transferred to AIIMS in Bhubaneswar, where he is currently under medical care. While initial reports suggested he had sustained critical injuries, the Superintendent of Police for Ganjam district, Shravan Vivek said that subsequent CT scans showed no severe damage. He confirmed that all medical evaluations returned normal, but noted that Sherpa was found to be inebriated at the time of the incident.

The police are investigating the case, questioning witnesses to gather more information about the circumstances leading up to the assault. Despite the conflicting reports about Sherpa's injuries, his friends continue to assert that he was brutally attacked without cause. “We were just having fun, and suddenly he was hit on the head. We thought he was going to die,” said one friend.