DEORIA: Five policemen were suspended and six sent to police lines here on Monday after a 25-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by some youths who were told not to play loud music on Janmashtami.
Speaking to reporters here, Superintendent of Police Shripati Mishra said, "Under the charges of carelessness, action has been taken against 11 policemen. Playing DJ is banned in the state, but Barhaj police station in-charge Shivshankar Chaube; Barhaj police post-in-charge Onkarnath Pandey and beat constable Amardeep Chauhan did not take the matter seriously and neglected playing of DJ during Janmashtami."
The incident took place on Saturday night in Barhaj's Patel Nagar and the victim was identified as Sumit, police had said on Sunday.
"Constables of Dial 100 - Shailesh Singh and Vijay Kumar -- reached the spot after getting the information, but they did not take any effective action, so all these five fellows have been suspended with the immediate effect," the SSP said.
He said six policemen (mostly constables) of the Barhaj police post have been sent to police lines.
"On the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, some youths were playing DJ in Patel Nagar of Barhaj on Saturday night. Munnu Lal asked them to stop it, which enraged 10-12 youths," Deoria SP Shripati Mishra had on Sunday said.
"They attacked Munnu Lal with sticks. When his sons Sumit and Sachin, along with his wife Sanju Devi, rushed to save him from the attackers, they too were beaten up," the SP added.
On getting information, police reached the spot and admitted the injured to the local health centre, where doctors referred Munnu Lal and Sumit to the district hospital for treatment. However, they did not take any effective action to resolve the issue, Mishra said.
Sumit was declared dead by the doctors at the district hospital, the SP had said, adding that the hunt was on to nab the culprits.
Subsequently, the administration imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in Barhaj area of the district.
Section 144 of the CrPC prohibits the assembly of more than four persons in an area.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate of Deoria Amit Kishore said, "The situation is under control and schools and business units were opened. Section 144 is clamped in area and some people tried to spread rumour of tension and curfew which is not true. Six accused persons have been arrested and soon remaining two will also be arrested."
He also said the restrictions would remain in force till September 15.