Seven Policemen Suspended for Negligence in Fatal Stampede
Police Team Failed to Inform Department Heads of "Stampede-Like Situation" During Inspection
Officials said on Friday that seven policemen—including the in-charge of the police outpost—had been suspended for neglecting to notify department heads of a "stampede-like situation" that resulted in one person's death during an inspection.
A senior police official said that the police officers were suspended due to allegations of insubordination and carelessness. According to the deceased's relatives, he passed away after a police beating.
The police squad was conducting an investigation after learning about gambling operations in the Sardar Nagar neighbourhood.
Following the incident on Thursday, Santosh Kumar (46), who was hospitalized at a Bareilly hospital, suffered significant injuries. Later on Friday night, he passed away from his wounds, according to the police.
According to Bareilly Superintendent of Police (Rural), Mukesh Chandra Mishra, the family of Santosh Kumar has filed a complaint at the Bhamaura police station, claiming that their loved one passed away as a result of being physically assaulted by Sardar Nagar outpost officials.
Following the post-mortem and site inspection, the family members' complaint will be investigated, according to Mishra.
Following reports of gambling activity outside Alampur Jafrabad village on Thursday night, a police squad headed by Sardar Nagar outpost in-charge Tinku Kumar and six other members arrived to the location, he said.
The gamblers fled as the police squad came, resulting in a scene akin to a stampede in which one person was gravely hurt and was sent to Narayana Hospital for treatment, according to the SP.
He went on to say that higher authorities were not informed about the occurrence by the police team.
Sub-Inspector Tinku Kumar took severe issue to it, and according to police, he, along with head constables Pushpendra Rana and Manoj Kumar and constables Ankit Kumar, Deepak Kumar, Satyajit Singh, and Mohit Kumar, were suspended for misbehavior and carelessness as well as failing to notify higher authorities about the occurrence.
The Superintendent of authorities (Rural) has been tasked with conducting an investigation into the whole situation, and the appropriate legal action is being pursued, according to authorities.
