Four policemen sacked for deaths, woman’s beating

LUCKNOW - In a rare move, the Uttar Pradesh government Thursday ordered the dismissal of four policemen including two inspectors for their role in two custodial deaths in Allahabad and the thrashing of a woman in Sultanpur district.

Principal Home Secretary Fateh Bahadur told mediapersons: “Taking serious note of police high-handedness in both cases, the government has decided to terminate their services to set an example before other erring cops who harass common people.”

Even as he maintained that the punishment was ordered under the general guidelines issued by Chief Minister Mayawati to deal firmly with acts of insolence by men in uniform, informed sources said the action was taken after Governor B.L. Joshi took suo motto cognisance of reports of rising police high-handedness.

Fateh Bahadur and Director General of Police Karamveer Singh spoke at a joint press conference.

“Three policemen including the inspector of Ghoorpur police station in Allahabad were found directly involved in the beating up of two young men from a liquor shop. Although both were criminals with several cases pending against them and had even opened fire against the police, we see no reason why they should have thrashed them. Hence we are … ordering their dismissal,” said Bahadur .

Those dismissed from service were inspector in-charge V.K. Dube and constables Anil Singh and Hari Prakash Rai. Three other policemen have been suspended.

Also sacked was Kailash Nath Dwivedi, inspector of the Musafirkhana police station in Sultanpur district who thrashed a woman and humiliated her.

According to Bahadur, the woman was accused of her husband’s murder. She was taken to the police station for questioning.