Minor girl consumes poison after 'torture' during questioning, UP cop suspended

Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Sep 2 (IANS) A police official has been suspended after a minor girl, who was being questioned by him in a case, consumed poison.The girl's mother alleged that her 14-year-old daughter attempted suicide after she was subjected to harassment by Vinod Kumar, the Rajpur Station officer.She also alleged that there were many scratch marks on the girl's body, which suggested that the police officer had even tortured her physically.Superintendent of Police (SP) Keshav Kumar Chaudhary said that Vinod Kumar, station house officer, Rajpur, has been suspended with immediate effect.The probe with regard to the incident has been handed over to a Circle rank officer (CO). There will be a departmental inquiry in the matter after which further action will be taken, police said.The girl was summoned by the Rajpur police with regard to a complaint lodged by an Army personnel who had accused her of making objectionable pictures of his wife by posting them on social media. The complainant is a distant relative of the girl.The girl was summoned for questioning earlier this week and told her mother that she was harassed and tortured by the accused police official. Later she consumed poison.Presently, the girl is being treated at the Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital in Kanpur.The police have recorded her statement about the incident in hospital.Apart from this, the women constables who were present on the day in the police station are also being interrogated and the CCTV footage is being scanned.
--IANS amita/dpb