BARIPADA (ORISSA), FEBRUARY 9: Dara Singh, prime accused in the killing of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, today claimed before a court here that police version of his arrest was ``fabricated'' as he had actually surrendered.``Pro-police press'' had published the ``arrest story'' to improve the image of police, he told Pramod Kumar Jena, Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Karanjia, when he was produced in connection with a looting case at Kendumundi weekly market.When asked by the magistrate as to why he did not surrender earlier, Dara claimed that he had surrendered at the appropriate time. He said that he had indicated to the police through trusted persons about his intention to surrender.Dara's advocate, Pradeep Choudhury, had earlier said that the accused had told him yesterday at Karanjia police station that he had intimated in writing to the Collector, Mayurbhanj and state government about his desire to surrender.The state principal secretary in the Home Department, S C Hota, however, said that the state government had not received any such intimation from Dara Singh.The advocate moved a bail petition on behalf of the accused in the looting case. The petition would be taken up on February 19.Earlier, before Dara was produced in the SDJM court, CRPF personnel resorted to a lathi charge to disperse a large number of people gathered outside to see the accused who was then inside the Karanjia Police Station, located opposite to the court. Seven persons, including an advocate, were injured as a result of the lathi charge, official sources said.The sources said the security men, lodged in the police station for the past few days on election duty, initially pleaded to the crowd to disperse, but the people did not pay heed and some even raised the slogan `Dara Singh, Zindabad'. As the situation worsened, the jawans resorted to lathi charge.A large number of people thereafter forcibly entered the police station demanding withdrawal of CRPF jawans from the police station and registration of a case against their action.Senior officers, including sub-collector and tehsildar of Karanjia and sub-divisional police officer, Rairangpur, rushed to the spot.The situation was brought under control when the authorities, after discussions with the agitating public, promptly withdrew the jawans from the police station. It was also agreed that the president of the local Bar Association would lodge an FIR on the basis of complaints received from the public.
