SIT formed in Dehradun's Machhi Bazaar murder case sub-inspector suspended

Dehradun, Feb 3 (PTI) A day after a young woman was murdered in broad daylight in Dehradun's busy Machhi Bazaar area, a police officer was suspended on Tuesday for prima facie negligence, and a special investigation team (SIT) was formed to investigate the case, officials said.
     Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh has constituted an SIT to investigate the murder of 22-year-old Gunjan Srivastava, they said.
     The SSP said that the four-member SIT will conduct a thorough investigation so that a charge sheet can be filed against the arrested accused, Akash Kumar (27), and the case can be tried in a fast-track court to ensure he receives a strict punishment.
     Meanwhile, the SSP suspended Sub-Inspector Pradyumna Negi based on a preliminary inquiry report submitted by the city police officer.
     Police said that two days before the murder, Gunjan had filed a complaint with the police regarding harassment by Akash.
     Police said that after receiving the complaint, they were searching for him, but he had switched off his mobile phone and gone missing from his home and did not go to work.
     They said that two days later, however, the accused Akash allegedly attacked and killed Gunjan with a sharp weapon, raising questions about the police's failure to take serious action on the deceased's complaint.
     Police said that both Gunjan and the accused Akash worked at different shops in the market and had been in a relationship for the past three years. Gunjan had stopped talking to him after she learned that Akash was married, which had apparently upset the latter.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)