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Bihar SHO suspended for settling road accident death case through negotiation
Action was taken against the SHO after the family members of the deceased complained to the SP that the local police were not taking any action against the motorcyclist involved in the accident
Station house officer (SHO) of Malahi police station in Bihar’s East Champaran district was suspended on Sunday after he tried to settle the case of a woman’s death, caused by a road accident, through negotiation in an apparent bid to save the motorcyclist involved in it.
East Champaran superintendent of police (SP) Navin Chand Jha said Rajesh Kumar showed laxity, deviating from standard operating procedure (SOP) in handling a case of death, which occurred in a road accident.
“He preferred not to register the case and no post-mortem was conducted. This was clear negligence and dereliction of duty on part of the SHO and a clear deviation from the standard operating procedure (SOP),” said Jha.
The action was taken after the family members of the deceased woman complained to the SP that the local police were not taking any action against the motorcyclist allegedly responsible for the accident. Dhaniya Devi received multiple injuries when she was hit by a motorcycle near Sirni Brahmasthan under Malahi police station on August 24, and died later during treatment at a hospital in Pagarpur (in East Champaran).
“Instead of taking action against the bike rider in the case, the SHO started pressuring the victim’s relatives to file an FIR against unknown persons. He did not take any action and the matter was hushed up through panchayati (negotiation). At the same time, the deceased’s body was cremated by her relatives without conducting a post-mortem so that the bike rider could be saved,” said a police officer, refusing to be identified.
Suspended SHO Rajesh Kumar could not be contacted for comment.
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