Kalaburagi: PSI suspended over 3-year-old’s death in jail

Kalaburagi: Police Sub-Inspector of Jewargi police station was suspended under suspension on charges of dereliction of duty in connection with the death of the 3-year-old girl in jail.

A 3-year-old girl, Bharati, died on January 2, and an inquiry was conducted with this regard by Additional SP Prasanna Desai, and Hugar, following which PSI Manjunath Hugar was suspended.

It started with a clash between the followers of Raju, who won Jainapur Gram Panchayat election, and Santosh, who lost. Both parties lodged complaints with Jewargi police. Sources said that Hugar went to Santosh’s house at noon on Friday and arrested the men allegedly involved in the attack. Bowing to pressure from the rival group backed by a former MLA, Hugar again went to Santosh’s house at Friday midnight to arrest the women and a few minors.

He arrested Santosh’s brother’s wife Sangeeta and some others for their alleged involvement in the clash. Sangeeta’s son, aged six, was also named in the FIR. Though Sangeeta pleaded her innocence and requested that she be exempt, it is alleged that Hugar was adamant. While Sangeeta’s son was sent to an observation home for juveniles, she was allowed to take her daughter to the police station, and later to jail.

The child’s death led to irate villagers of Jainapur holding a dharna in front of GIMS Hospital on January 3, led by Jewargi MLA Dr Ajay Singh, demanding the PSI’s suspension.

Though the police tried to pacify the agitators by transferring him to the District Crime Branch, the villagers intensified their agitation, and the SP had announced that action would be taken within 24 hours of receipt of the inquiry report.

However, according to sources, the postmortem report said there were no wounds on the body of the child, Bharati, and that she had died of hydrocephalus.