SC Commission orders suspension of investigating officer, cites lapses in early police action
Sunil Chadha
Shimla:
In a significant development in the alleged s*uicide of a 12-year-old Dalit boy from Limda village in the Chirgaon area of Rohru subdivision in Shimla district, the Himachal Pradesh Police have made the first arrest in the case.
The police detained a woman late Wednesday night, following the rejection of her anticipatory bail plea. The development comes nearly four weeks after the incident, which has triggered widespread outrage and scrutiny over police handling of the case.
Rohru DSP Pranav Chauhan confirmed the arrest and said the woman would be produced in court. The accused has been facing allegations related to caste-based discrimination, which allegedly led the minor to take the extreme step.
SC Commission cites police lapses
The case has drawn strong intervention from the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes Commission, which on Wednesday issued orders to suspend ASI Manjeet, the initial investigating officer. The Commission’s chairperson, Kuldeep Kumar Dhiman, visited Rohru Rest House and met administration officials, demanding a detailed report on the case.
“The police’s initial investigation was lax and failed to invoke relevant provisions under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, despite clear allegations by the victim’s family,” said Dhiman.
When the FIR was lodged on September 20, it allegedly did not include SC/ST Act charges. These were added only after the matter reached the Himachal Pradesh High Court, raising concerns of procedural negligence and possible bias.
Shocking allegations of ‘untouchability’, demand for sacrifice
As per the complaint submitted by the family, the boy was labelled ‘untouchable’ after entering a neighbour’s house and his father was allegedly asked to offer a goat for ritual purification of the home. These deeply disturbing allegations were ignored in the original police FIR, sparking outrage among Dalit groups and civil society.
“Despite such clear caste-based discrimination, the police did not register the case under the relevant Act. The arrest was made only after the High Court and Commission’s intervention,” Dhiman noted.
Rohru SDPO also under scanner, family provided security
The commission also found the role of Rohru SDPO unsatisfactory, citing delays and non-compliance with orders. The officer has been asked to submit an explanation for the mishandling of the case. Notably, the commission had sought a report from the SDPO on October 1, but no response was submitted within the stipulated time. It was only on October 14 that the commission received a report via the DGP’s office.
In view of the situation, the victim’s family has now been provided police protection amid concerns for their safety.
The commission has stated that it is monitoring the case closely and has questioned police officials and met with the victim’s family. With public sentiment and political pressure mounting, more arrests may follow as investigations widen.
This case has once again brought into focus the persisting caste-based discrimination in rural Himachal Pradesh, and the institutional apathy that often follows such incidents — until public outrage forces action.
