IO’s suspension ordered in Dalit boy death case

The Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Commission has ordered the suspension of ASI Manjeet Singh for shoddy investigation into the death of a 12-year-old Dalit boy in the Rohru sub-division of Shimla district. Manjeet is an investigating officer in the case. The commission has also found the working of DSP, Rohru, unsatisfactory in the case, and has sought explanation from him.

“The police investigation into the case has not been found satisfactory. The investigation has been hampered by the police's laxity in the initial investigation” said Kuldeep Kumar Dhiman, the commission’s chairman. He held a meeting with the local administration and police officials regarding the matter in Rohru today. The accused woman in the case is likely to be arrested shortly following the rejection of her anticipatory bail plea on Tuesday.

Unsatisfied with the investigation, Dhiman pointed out various shortcomings in the police probe. “When the FIR was initially filed on September 20, the case was not registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. It was only when the matter reached the High Court, the case was registered under the provisions of the Act. Despite this, the police failed to arrest the accused woman,” said Dhiman.

The chairman further pointed out that the commission had asked DSP, Rohru, to submit a report within three days on October 1, but he failed to submit it within the stipulated time.

“The commission received the report from the DGP's office on October 14. The local police have been lax in complying with the commission's orders,” said Dhiman. He revealed that the family had received a financial assistance of Rs 4,12,500 from the government through the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.