Cuttack: Four Held for Allegedly Manhandling ACP Ananya Awasthi During Diwali Cracker Check

Lalbag police on Monday arrested four people on charges of allegedly manhandling Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ananya Awasthi, a 2022-batch IPS officer. The incident took place on Sunday night, when police were enforcing the ban on bursting firecrackers after the 9 pm deadline.

Who Was Arrested

Police identified the four accused as Binay Agrawal (32), Mohit Nangalia (22), Krishna Soni (20) and Yash Choudhury (23). All four are shopkeepers. The incident occurred in the Nayasadak area of the city.

How the Confrontation Unfolded

Reports say a heated exchange began when police personnel asked local shopkeepers to stop bursting crackers after the permitted hours, as per the Odisha State Pollution Control Board guidelines. Some shopkeepers allegedly kept lighting crackers on the road despite the warnings. ACP Awasthi, who was there to supervise enforcement, stepped in to implement the restriction. A group then allegedly manhandled her, and the argument turned into a scuffle that created tension in the locality. Videos of the confrontation spread quickly on social media.

Police Response and Investigation

Additional personnel were sent to the spot to stop the situation from worsening. On Monday, investigators went through CCTV footage and the videos circulating online, identified those involved and arrested the four. Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said more arrests are likely as the probe continues.

Diwali Cracker Rules

The permitted time for bursting firecrackers on Diwali was 7 pm to 9 pm. Police said some residents carried on well beyond the deadline on a busy stretch of road, which inconvenienced commuters. A case has been registered at Lalbag police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Odisha Urban Police Act. Police are working to identify any other people involved.

About ACP Ananya Awasthi

Awasthi is an Odisha-cadre IPS officer. She was earlier the first woman Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the Governor of Odisha, before returning to her current posting with the Cuttack Police Commissionerate.