Shahjahanpur (UP), Jun 24 (PTI) Police have ordered an inquiry into allegations surrounding the police encounter of an accused and the lathicharge on protesters in a case involving the alleged sexual assault of a one-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, officials said on Wednesday.
Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit told PTI that the inquiry has been entrusted to Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Devendra Kumar.
“The allegations raised in the case will be examined, and legal action will be taken against anyone found guilty,” Dixit told PTI.
According to police, the incident took place in Harnai village under the Khutar area on June 9. Police said that Guddu Sharma, a neighbour of the minor, allegedly entered her house and sexually assaulted her.
The accused was arrested within 12 hours of the complaint following a police encounter. Police said that Sharma opened fire on the police team and was shot in both legs in retaliatory firing.
Police also said that after the encounter, villagers, allegedly instigated by the village head, staged a protest at a police outpost. During the protest, some people allegedly attempted to overturn a police vehicle and hurled stones at police personnel, following which force was used to disperse the crowd. Three people were later arrested in connection with the incident.
Puwayan BJP MLA Chet Ram said he met the director general of police in Lucknow on June 18 and submitted a complaint seeking an inquiry into both the police encounter and the lathicharge, as people had raised questions about the two incidents.
The minor’s mother had earlier told PTI that she and her family were under pressure to withdraw the case and had left the village to stay with relatives after the door of their house was allegedly broken. She said no complaint had been lodged in this regard due to fear.
When asked about the family’s alleged migration from the village, MLA Chet Ram said he was not aware of the matter. He said he had visited the village, but nobody had informed him about it. PTI COR KIS MPL MPL
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