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The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday suspended five policemen, suspected to be involved in the murder of a scribe in Shahjahanpur district of the state.
The action against the policemen came a day after Governor Ram Naik took up the matter with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav after a massive outcry against the incident in which a minister Ram Murti Singh Verma allegedly conspired.
"SP Shahjahanpur has suspended five policemen, including Station House Officer Shri Prakash Rai, with immediate effect," Inspector General (Law and Order) A Satish Ganesh told reporters in Lucknow.
The other four included Sub-Inspector Krantiveer Singh, Head Constable Subhash Chandra Yadav and constables Udayveer and Mansoor.
Journalist Jagendra Singh was allegedly set on fire during a police raid at his house in Awas Vikas Colony of Sadar Bazar area on June 1. His family alleged that the police officials set him on fire. Singh succumbed to the injuries on June 8.
A first information report was registered against minister for Backward
Classes Welfare Ram Murti Verma, Inspector (Chowk) Sri Prakash Rai, Gufran, Akash Gupta, Amit Pratap Singh and Bhure for killing Jagendra.
The journalist invited Verma's ire by posting reports on Facebook about illegal mining activities and land grabbing against the minister. The minister is reportedly absconding.
The FIR lodged against the minister by Singh's son alleged that the minister sent the team of policemen to his house, who doused Singh with kerosene oil and set him on fire. From his death bed, he narrated the incident to IG Amitabh Thakur and in his dying declaration went viral on news channels.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties termed the action taken by the state government as an "eyewash" and accused it of shielding the minister.
"First of all the action taken is too late. The government should have suspended the policemen immediately after the incident and arrested them," BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said. He accused the government that instead of dismissing the minister, it was shielding it.
Even a ruling Samajwadi Party MLA from Lucknow Ravidas Mehrotra has demanded sacking of the minister. "It’s a serious matter and heinous crime. I request you (CM) to order a probe into the matter and remove Vermy from your ministry. Also, the guilty policemen should be immediately suspended and arrested," Mehrotra said in a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The UP government has handed over the probe to Deputy Inspector General, Bareilly range. The FIR was registered at Puwayan police station of Shahjahanpur by victim's son Raghvendra.
The FIR was lodged under IPC 302 (murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
The video footage of dying declaration which went viral on news channels and social media showed Jagendra Singh stating, "Why did they have to burn me? If the minister and his goons had a grudge, they could have beaten me instead of pouring kerosene and burning me."
Regarding dying declaration IG A Satish Ganesh said that efforts were being made to get the footage as it was in the possession of the court.
"Efforts are being made to get footage from the court so that it can the be made a part of dying declaration," he said.
Ganesh said that statements of Jagendra's son, father and wife have been recorded and videographed. "Statement of other accused will also be recorded and videographed," he said. On being asked he said that the minister has not been quizzed so far.
He said that forensic units from Moradabad and Bareilly went to the spot and whatever evidences were found would be examined at the forensic science laboratory at Lucknow. "We are investigating the case scientifically," he said. The IG said that magisterial inquiry ordered by district magistrate Shahjahanpur has also started.
On being asked that why police team went to raid Singh's house on June 1, the IG said that he had a case against him and the team went in that connection. He said that security has been provided to the victim's family.
A public interest litigation had also been filed in the Allahabad high court seeking directions for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the case.
Image: Shahjahanpur-based journalist Jagendra Singh was allegedly burnt alive