Hyderabad: Following the murder of four members of a Dalit family in Allahabad, and the opposition mounting pressure of the Uttar Pradesh government, the Uttar Pradesh police has suspended two of its personnel. The two cops allegedly tried to force the family to compromise with the accused over a land deal. A minor from the family is also said to have been gang-raped.
A case was lodged under IPC Sections for gangrape and murder, as well as under the POCSO Act and SC/ST Act against the 11 accused, out of whom, eight have been arrested: Akash Singh, Babli Singh, Amit Singh, Ravi, Manish, Abhay, Raja, Ranchu, Kuldeep, Kanha Thakur and Ashok.
The Indian Express reported that the administration also scrambled to contain the damage from charges that the family had been attacked before. Subsequently, the family was not provided help despite the promise of security and an arms license to their relatives.
The bodies of the four deceased, two children and their parents were found on Thursday morning at their house. The police are reportedly investigating if the minor girl, who was the daughter of the victims was sexually assaulted, as her clothes were disordered.
A family member named the in charge of the police station, Ram Keval Patel and a constable Sushil Kumar Singh that the Dalit family had approached for protection. The relatives alleged that the two put pressure on the family to compromise and helped the accused.
Both the in-charge of the police and the constable has been suspended according to media reports.