MHA intervenes; UP transfers DIG
The Union ministry of home affairs has intervened and sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government on the facts of the case related to the missing girl, Ishrat Jahan, on Thursday.
The MHA’s move comes after remarks by Saharanpur DIG Satish Kumar Mathur allegedly endorsed honour killing, sparking outrage nationwide. The MHA has written to the UP home secretary, a copy of which has been marked to the DGP, seeking the facts of the Ishrat case. Ishrat’s father, Shaukeen Mohammad, has accused the local police of not doing enough to trace his daughter who has been missing for over a month.
Hours after promising action, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday evening transferred the DIG, who has now been attached to the DGP’s headquarters. The local police claimed Ishrat had eloped and the DIG, in turn, was caught on camera reportedly saying that if his own sister had eloped, he would have either shot her dead or would have committed suicide.
Senior MHA officials said repeated advisories have been sent to all states and UTs to sensitise police officials in dealing with all cases of crime against women and honour killings. The MHA has said in its advisories that the local administration is directly responsible for ensuring the safety of women in such cases.
The MHA advisory has drawn particular attention to the Supreme Court’s observation in the Lata Singh case of UP in 2006 where it said honour killings are “nothing but barbaric and shameful acts of murder committed by brutal, feudal-minded persons who deserve harsh punishment. Only in this way can we stamp out such acts of barbarism.”
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