A video from Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district showing a policeman seeking 'guidance' from a 'spiritual guru' to solve a murder case started doing the rounds on social media on Thursday, 18 August.
An inquiry into the matter has been initiated, the police indicated, and the police official in the video has now been suspended.
The police official, identified as assistant sub-inspector Anil Sharma, was present at a gathering of self-styled saint, Pandokhar Sarkar, in a bid to identify the murder suspect in the death of a 17-year-old girl in the area.
Pandokhar Sarka could be heard saying that he has called out the names of a few people; the one name that he missed will lead them (the police) to their suspect.
Meanwhile, superior Town Inspector, Pankaj Sharma, has been transferred out to the police line from Bamitha police station.
The Case
The case of a 17-year-old girl whose dead body was recovered from a well in Otapurva village of the district on 28 July was being probed by the Bamitha police station officers.
Her relatives had accused three of their villagers namely, Ravi Ahirwar, Gudda alias Rakesh Ahirwar, Aman Ahirwar, of murdering the girl. She was Hariram Ahirwar's daughter.
After the girl's family complaint, the police initially detained 3 people but let them go as they could not find any evidence against them.
One of the police officers involved in the investigation was ASI Anil Sharma, who apparently decided to take guidance from the spiritual guru to solve the case.
The police later arrested the girl's uncle Tirath Ahirwar, following which the family protested and were told of the conversation between the ASI and the spiritual guru.
"The accused, Tirath Ahirwar, was arrested as per the evidence gathered by the police against him. As for the ASI's video, he had gone to attend Pandokhar Sarkar’s programme for different reasons. He has, however, been suspended after the video went viral.”Sachin Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Chhatarpur district said.
(with inputs from Jai Prakash)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)