Lucknow, Malihabad: Police in Lucknow have arrested the main accused in the death of a Class 11 student in the Kasmandi Kala area of Malihabad, and suspended the local police post in-charge after an inquiry found negligence in handling the family's earlier complaints, Daily Kiran reported on Tuesday, November 3. The student died on Monday, November 2, and her body was sent for a post-mortem examination.

Source: Daily Kiran

On the complaint of the student's father, police have registered a case against the accused, Hans Kumar, his brother Vinay Kumar, their father Shyam Sundar and their mother Ram Lalli. The family alleges that Hans Kumar had been harassing the student for several months and had been threatening and pressuring her. Lucknow Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Anand said a case has been registered against the accused youth under the section for abetment to suicide and that Hans Kumar has been arrested; further legal action is being taken on the basis of his interrogation and the available evidence, according to Adani News. All of these remain allegations that are yet to be tested in court.

Source: Adani News

The family alleges that the harassment continued despite repeated protests, that the student and her father were attacked twice in the last five months, and that complaints lodged at the Kasmandi Kala police post — an assault complaint on May 20 and a harassment complaint on October 13 — did not lead to effective action. The Assistant Commissioner of Police for Malihabad conducted an inquiry which found negligence on the part of sub-inspector Vivek Kumar, the Kasmandi Kala post in-charge; the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) suspended him with immediate effect and a departmental inquiry is also under way against him, Daily Kiran reported.

Source: Daily Kiran

Nov 2Student's death reported in Kasmandi Kala, Malihabad
May 20Family's assault complaint at the police post
Oct 13Family's harassment complaint at the police post
1Main accused arrested
1Police post in-charge suspended

Police say the investigation is examining what action was taken on the family's earlier complaints and under what circumstances no effective steps followed. The arrest of the main accused and the suspension of the post in-charge have put the handling of harassment complaints at the police-post level under scrutiny; further action will depend on the investigation and the departmental inquiry.