UP CM Orders SIT Probe into Kanpur Dehat Deaths

Lucknow, Feb 16 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Kanpur divisional commissioner and additional director general, Kanpur Zone, to probe the deaths of a mother and daughter during an eviction drive in Kanpur Dehat.

The SIT will submit an interim report in a week.

The state government also announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the victim's family.

"For the proper treatment of the injured sons, an assistance of Rs 5 lakh each (total Rs 10 lakh) has been provided to the family by the government," an official spokesman said.

Security has also been provided to the family by the government.

The incident has caused an uproar in political circles. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had tweeted that the "spectacle of inhumanity on the bulldozer of the BJP government has become a threat to humanity and sensitivity".

BSP chief Mayawati said that the Kanpur Dehat incident is being talked about more than the state government's Global Investors Summit which was advertised so much. She said the BJP government's policy to use bulldozers is meant to intimidate people and make them helpless.

"In a big state like UP, which has been hit hard by poverty, unemployment, inflation and backwardness, the government's bulldozer policy is causing deaths of even the poor and the innocent. This is extremely unfortunate and condemnable," she said.

Meanwhile, Rura police station in-charge Dinesh Gautam, accused in the case, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, has been suspended with immediate effect.

Principal Secretary (Home), Sanjay Prasad, said that Kanpur Divisional Commissioner Raj Shekhar has been authorised to select other members of the SIT in consultation with ADG, Kanpur, Alok Singh and complete the investigations in a stipulated time frame.

"Officials from Kanpur Dehat to Lucknow are in action on this incident that took place in Kanpur Dehat. In this sequence, the teams of the development and revenue departments will visit the site soon," the official added.

These teams will complete the proceedings related to housing, old age pension and agricultural land lease there.

A total of 39 individuals, including SDM Maitha, the in-charge of Rura police station, four Lekhpals, a qanungo, a JCB driver, besides locals of Madauli and 27 unidentified persons have already been booked under murder and other charges in connection with the incident.

Police have also arrested the JCB driver. The JCB which was used in the demolition of the victims' house has been seized, a police official said.