Shabad mass murder sparks outrage over police delay in handling previous POCSO case

The brutal murder of six people in Shabad has sparked public outrage and allegations of police negligence. Locals claim timely arrest of the prime suspect in an earlier POCSO case could have averted the tragedy. Two officers face disciplinary actio

Hyderabad: The brutal killing of six persons at Shabad has brought the police’s handling of an earlier POCSO case under intense scrutiny, with local residents and some police officials feeling that timely action against the prime suspect, Raj Kumar, could have averted the tragedy.

They surmise that the failure to arrest the suspect immediately after the POCSO case was registered allowed him to remain free, continue allegedly harassing the minor girl and ultimately carry out the murders.

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Villagers alleged that the failure to arrest hm immediately emboldened him to continue intimidating the girl and her family, eventually leading to the murders of the minor girl, her mother and grandmother. Locals who staged protests after the killings accused the police of negligence and claimed their repeated concerns about Raj Kumar’s behavior had gone unheeded.

Some police officials also feel that had the investigating officer arrested Raj Kumar immediately after the POCSO case was registered and produced him before the court, instead of allowing him to remain free while pursuing anticipatory bail, the subsequent murders could have been prevented.

“The delay in taking him into custody gave him the confidence to continue harassing the minor girl and her family. The lack of immediate legal action in the POCSO case contributed to escalating tensions in Raj Kumar’s personal life. The domestic disputes intensified in the following weeks, culminating in the killing of his wife and their two young sons after he had allegedly murdered the minor girl, her mother and grandmother,” Khatija unnisa, a social activist from the city.

Responding to criticism over the handling of the POCSO case, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chevella, Yogesh Gautham, said Raj Kumar had approached a court at Chevella seeking anticipatory bail. The court allowed his petition on June 12 and released him on a personal bond.

“Subsequently, Raj Kumar’s statement was recorded by the police and he was counseled not to harass the girl or her family. The statements of the teenager and her mother were also recorded. However, the charge sheet in the case had not yet been filed,” the DCP said.

The department has since initiated disciplinary action against the officers who handled the earlier case. Sub-Inspector Ramesh has been suspended for allegedly failing to arrest Raj Kumar immediately after registering the POCSO case, while Shabad Inspector B. Kantha Reddy has been issued a charge memo for alleged lack of proper supervision.