Four policemen including two sub-inspectors were suspended on Thursday after an eight-year-old nursery student Madhav Bhardwaj was shot dead in an encounter with robbers at Mohanpura village, in Mathura on Wednesday.
The suspensions came after a probe was conducted into the death of the child with the villagers alleging that the child was hit by police bullet.
₹5 lakh compensation
Inspector General of Police, Agra range, Raja Shrivastava suspended the sub-inspectors Virendra Singh and Saurabbh Sharma and two policemen Udham Singh and Subhash for their prime facie failure to attend to the boy immediately after he was hit by the bullet while playing in the nearby park.
Mr. Shrivastava also announced a magisterial probe into the incident and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh to the boy’s family. According to Vinay Chauhan, Circle Officer Mathura, a team of policemen had reached Mohanpura village after getting information that Manoj, an accused in a recent loot case, was seen in the village.
“Manoj and his group fired at the police. The police retaliated. In the crossfire, a bullet which was fired from the gang’s side, hit Madhav on his head. Though he was rushed to the local hospital, he succumbed to the injuries,” said Mr. Chauhan who also denied police shooting in the episode.
An FIR was being registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the villagers, the police said.
Shiv Shankar, Madhav’s grandfather told The Hindu: “The tragedy happened in no time. The last time I saw Madhav, he was playing in the park. After that I saw some policemen who started firing. Madhav, who was playing in the park, got hit.”
