Uttar Pradesh Prime Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the suspension of Hathras Police Superintendent Vikrant Vir and three other police officers on Friday night for their handling of the case involving the alleged gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman. The prime minister made the decision based on an initial report from the special investigation team that was set up to investigate the case, according to a statement from the Uttar Pradesh government.
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The statement added that it had also been decided that “narcoanalysis polygraph tests” would be performed on all concerned. This decision is expected to include the family of the rape victim as well, particularly in the context of the state government autopsy report that contradicted the victim’s allegation that he had been gang-raped on September 14.
The 19-year-old died Tuesday and, according to her family, was cremated after midnight under alleged pressure from the district administration. This accusation had prompted the Lucknow court of the Allahabad High Court to hear the case. The judges will hear the case on October 12.
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The UP government’s statement said that Hathras Police Chief Vikrant Vir was being suspended for “negligence and late investigations.” Ring Officer Ram Shabd, Inspector Dinesh Kumar Varma, Deputy Chief Inspector Jagvir Singh and Police Chief Mahesh Pal will also be suspended.
The prime minister had previously ordered the special investigation team led by Interior Secretary Bhagwan Swarup to present its investigation report within seven days. But the SIT appears to have been told to submit a preliminary version in the face of escalating protests after the woman’s hasty cremation.
The action against the police officers handling the investigation is seen as an expression of the government’s discontent that the police officers let the situation get out of control and a sign that the administration responded to the many concerns expressed around the investigation.
The announcement was preceded by Yogi Adityanath’s tweet earlier in the day pledging to ensure exemplary punishment for those guilty of crimes against women.
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