Manesar gang-rape: 5 village chiefs meet police chief, demand transfer of SHO
They alleged that the “behaviour of Narendra Yadav, the SHO of the newly opened IMT Manesar police station, towards the locals was ill-mannered and offensive”
Weeks after the gang-rape of a 19-year-old woman and the murder of her infant daughter in Manesar, the chiefs and panchayat members of five villages of Manesar met the Gurgaon police commissioner and demanded the transfer of the area station house officer (SHO).
They alleged that the “behaviour of Narendra Yadav, the SHO of the newly opened IMT Manesar police station, towards the locals was ill-mannered and offensive”.
The case of the gang-rape of the 19-year-old woman and the murder of the infant was filed at IMT Manesar police station. The police had arrested three accused in the case.
The chiefs of Dhana, Kasan, Bas Kusla and Bas Haria, the villages which fall under the new industrial IMT police station, as well as that of Alihar met police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar last week.
“It has only been one and a half months since the new police opened in Sector 7, IMT Manesar. But, within a short span, most of inspectors and sub-inspectors have either been transferred or have requested transfers themselves. What does it say about the SHO?” Parveen Dhankar, the chief of Dhana village, said.
Dhankar further alleged that the SHO was responsible for the initial flaw in the Manesar gang-rape investigation.
“How can a woman sub-inspector refuse to register a complaint without the SHO’s approval?” he said, alleging that the SHO pinned the blame on the sub-inspector only to “save himself”.
The Gurgaon police had suspended sub-inspector Suman Sura for “mishandling the Manesar case” after an initial inquiry, headed by Manesar ACP Dharamvir Singh, found that she had refused to lodge an FIR.
The chief of Kasan village, Bahadur Singh, alleged that the SHO did not pay attention to the concerns of the villagers and locals, and sometimes interfered in local matters.
The Gurgaon police said it would look into the matter.
“They discussed various issues with me and even vouched for the woman sub-inspector who was suspended. However, their support for the sub-inspector and issues against the SHO are based on their personal impressions,” Khirwar said.
He added that their grievances would be duly considered.
Dhana village chief also alleged that the SHO had “often abused the locals and factory workers”.
“The labourers who work at the Maruti factory sometimes go to the police station for cleaning the premises when station staff are on leave. The foreman of the factory, which falls in my village, came to me and said that the SHO abused him and his workers,” Dhankar said.
SHO Yadav denied these allegations. “I have never behaved badly with any worker. Why would a Maruti worker go to a sarpanch (village head)?” he said.
Yadav said that was suspended only after an inquiry by a senior officer.
“The police commissioner had called a meeting and told me about the matter. I have no ill-feelings towards any locals. The officers will conduct an inquiry into these allegations,” Yadav said.