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SP removed as MP CM Mohan Yadav slams police over failure to arrest accused in six-year-olds rape case

BHOPAL: Inability of the police to arrest a 23-year-old youth who abducted a six-year-old girl and raped her before abandoning her in a serious condition in the jungles on November 21, led to the removal of Raisen district police superintendent Pankaj Pandey on Tuesday night. The Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Dr Mohan Yadav, chaired a high-level emergency law and order review meeting at the state Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Bhopal on Tuesday night, where he expressed displeasure with the police action so far in the case pertaining to the rape of the six-year-old girl in Raisen district of central MP. Not only did the CM express displeasure over the manner in which the case of a minors rape was dealt, even four days after the shocking incident, but he was also not satisfied with the police response to the road blockade in Raisens Mandideep area. He ordered the immediate removal of Raisen district police superintendent Pankaj Pandey, who has been attached to the state PHQ as an Assistant IG (AIG). The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Bhopal Zone I, Ashutosh, will be the new SP of Raisen district. The CM further directed the immediate removal of the in-charge of Misrod police station in Bhopal. This action is being seen as the direct result of the Misrod polices failure to deal with cases of crime, particularly the recent vandalisation of property by armed youths at a caf. In connection with the Raisen incident, the CM expressed severe displeasure not only with the police's inability to apprehend the accused who has now remained at large for four days but also with their lax response in handling the massive public protests and road blockades that have affected the central MP district. Importantly, the 23-year-old youth identified as Salman, remains on the run, even four days after allegedly committing the gruesome crime with the six-year-old girl. On November 21, he had allegedly lured the minor (who was playing outside her house) to a nearby jungle with the promise of giving chocolate. Once in the jungle, Salman allegedly raped the minor and abandoned her there. While the minor is slowly recuperating from the mental and physical trauma at the AIIMS-Bhopal, massive protests have been reported by local residents, particularly women, outside the Gauharganj police station in Raisen district. The continued sit-in protests have been followed by violent protests and massive highway blockades. While the police initially used mild force (a baton charge) to clear the highway, the protesters quickly returned, forcing the deployment of personnel from five different police stations. Despite the reward on the absconding rape accused being increased to Rs30,000, he continues to be at large, with around 20 teams comprising 300 police personnel working on the case.