Varanasi, Mar 6 (UNI) A Station House Officer (SHO) posted in neighbouring Ghazipur district was today suspended on charges of dereliction of duty in connection with the recent rape-murder of a minor girl.

Official sources said here DIG (Varanasi Range) R P Singh taking swift congisance of violation of Uttar Pradesh government and High Court directives suspended SHO (Saidpur) Surendra Tiwari of Ghazipur district.

The nine-year-old daughter of one Lalchand Majhi, a resident of Saidpur was missing since March four last. After searching for his daughter at all possible places, Majhi reported the matter to the SHO yesterday.

Instead of registering a criminal complaint and taking prompt action in the matter, the SHO lingered the matter. Later, the girl was found dead. The post-mortem report stated the minor was raped and then killed.

Taking prompt congisance of the entire episode, the DIG suspended the concerned SHO with immediate effect. In the wake of Nithari killings the Allahabad High Court, state government and the DGP had issued strict directives to show promptness in lodging cases and initiating necessary action in case of missing minors.

UNI