SHO among 5 cops suspended in RLSP leader's murder case

Five policemen including the station house officer were today suspended for dereliction of duty in the murder case of a leader of NDA constituent RLSP early this week in Vaishali district, an official said.

Manish Sahni, the district president of RLSP's extremely backward castes cell and head of Jandahan block panchayat samiti, was gunned down by unidentified assailants on April 13 when he was coming out of the block office.

"Five policemen including Jandahan police station SHO Shobhakant Paswan, an assistant sub-inspector and three other members of patrolling party did not give a chase to the culprits on the day of the incident," Superintendent of Police Manavjeet Singh Dhillon told reporters here.

He said action has been taken against them on the directive of Tirhut Range Deputy Inspector General Anil Kumar Singh who found them at fault.

A mob had indulged in arson at the block office and Jandahan police station besides resorting to exchange of firing with the police force in which one person was killed and five others were injured.

Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha visited Sahni's house at Belari village on August 14.

An FIR has been lodged against 10 persons, including an MLA of the ruling JD(U), in connection with the killing.