Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has suspended three senior police officers of Darrang district, including the superintendent of police (SP), after allegations of dereliction of duty were levelled against them in a case of a teenager’s unnatural death.
He also ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case, an official release here said.
A 13-year-old girl, who reportedly worked as a domestic help, was allegedly found hanging inside a house in Dhula area of Darrang district in June.
The couple for whom the girl worked was later arrested by the Dhula police, but the girl’s family has alleged that police had been unwilling to investigate the matter properly.
Sarma on Friday visited the house of the girl in Dhekiajuli area of Sonitpur district and enquired about the allegations levelled by the family against the police.
“It has been alleged that the police displayed extreme dereliction of duty in collecting photographic and videographic evidence of the incident. It was further alleged that the Dhula Police Station Officer-in-charge had put pressure on the family members of the deceased to not file a written complaint on the unnatural death,” the release said.
After the visit, the chief minister, who was also accompanied by the director general of police (DGP), ordered immediate suspension of Darrang SP Rajmohan Ray, Additional SP Rupam Phukan, along with the Dhula Police Station officer-in-charge.
Sarma also asked the DGP to constitute a three-member SIT for a thorough investigation into the incident. Two of the three members of the SIT shall be women, as per the chief minister’s order.
The CM also issued instructions to officials concerned to get a house constructed for the family of the deceased under a government scheme.
He ordered the Sonitpur deputy commissioner to take measures for inclusion of the family of the deceased under the Orunodoi scheme, under which beneficiaries receive Rs 1,000 per month in their bank accounts.
