SHO justifies below the knee shooting of seven accused of cow slaughter

The Ghaziabad police chief on Monday ordered a probe by a circle officer after a general diary (GD) noting from the Loni police station — made by the transferred out station house officer alleging that he was being unfairly targeted for acting against cow slaughter suspects — got leaked on social media on Sunday

The Ghaziabad police chief on Monday ordered a probe by a circle officer after a general diary (GD) noting from the Loni police station — made by the transferred out station house officer alleging that he was being unfairly targeted for acting against cow slaughter suspects — got leaked on social media on Sunday.

According to police, acting on a tipoff, they cracked down a godown in Behta Hajipur area of Loni around 6.30am on November 11 and exchanged fire with the suspects, in which all seven suspects were wounded in the leg. (Sourced)

Police said the inquiry was ordered after station house officer (SHO) Rajendra Kumar Tyagi made the GD entry on the night of November 13, criticising his transfer to another police station and stating that it was linked to the incident of November 11, when he and his team led a crackdown on seven cow slaughter suspects in Loni and all seven suspects sustained gunshot wounds to their legs.

GD entries mainly document the daily happenings in a police station and include the arrival and departure of police officers, details of law and order, arrests and even visits of senior officers, among others.

A copy of the GD is currently doing the rounds on social media and in it, Tyagi also states that the shooting of the suspects was right and senior officers should have held an inquiry before transferring him on November 13.

“I was shocked when I heard of my transfer. So, I made the entry in the GD and went home instead of joining the new posting in Indirapuram. If gunshot wounds to seven suspects created any suspicion of foul play, it should have been inquired into. Had I been found erring during such an inquiry, I would have happily accepted any punishment. I have been a sharp shooter since my early days with the police and I still keep practising,” Tyagi told Hindustan Times.

According to police, acting on a tipoff, they cracked down a godown in Behta Hajipur area of Loni around 6.30am on November 11 and exchanged fire with the suspects, in which all seven suspects were wounded in the leg. The police also seized seven countrymade weapons, 12 live cartridges and seven empty cartridges from the suspects, besides the seizure of several slaughtered animals.

“All seven suspects fired shots at my team and we fired 16 rounds in retaliation. My actions were as per procedure but two days later, my transfer was ordered and it seems to be in connection with the crackdown incident. If such things prevail, police officers would hesitate to act against cow slaughter suspects in the future. I am shattered by the treatment meted out to me and may not resume my duty if such treatment continues,” Tyagi said.

Coming to Tyagi’s aid, Loni MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar on November 14 shot off a letter to the senior superintendent of police Pawan Kumar and also marked a copy to additional chief secretary (home).

“I feel that the police who countered cow slaughters should have been rewarded instead. I have come to know that there was pressure on the SHO to remove names of some people connected to the slaughtering incident. When the SHO did not budge, he was transferred,” the MLA said.

Ghaziabad SSP Pawan Kumar said, “I have directed an inquiry by a circle officer in connection with the incident of leak of the contents of the GD, a government document, from the police station. Action will be taken against anyone found erring in this regard. As regards the comments made by the SHO in GD, he was transferred under a routine administrative procedure and it should not be seen in light or as an aftermath of the slaughter incident.”

“If the SHO is not joining duty at Indirapuram police station, he will be termed as absent and departmental action will follow,” he said.