SITs to be set up for violence related cases

LUCKNOW : The state police headquarters has directed to constitute Special Investigation Teams (SIT) under supervision of additional superintendent of police (ASP) rank officers to ensure proper investigation in all 327 FIRs registered in connection with widespread violence reported in as many as 15 districts. Besides, the police officers have been asked to conduct investigation on merit basis and arrest people only after collecting proper evidence against them.

The order issued by director general of police (DGP) OP Singh dated December 23, 2019 states that all district police chiefs concerned may depute ASP rank officers to supervise investigations in the FIRs related to violence and may constitute SITs under supervision of ASP rank officers.

A senior police official said that the SITs had been constituted in at least two districts, including Kanpur and Meerut, while they were likely to be constituted in five other districts, including Lucknow, Firozabad, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar and Sambhal. IG (law and order) Praveen Kumar too confirmed that detailed directions had been issued to the police officials of violence-hit districts.

He added that 1,113 people had already been arrested in connection with different FIRs registered across the state while preventive action had been initiated against 5,558 people. “At least 288 police personnel were injured in the violence reported in 15 districts since December 19. Of these, at least 61 personnel suffered injuries due to bullets fired from the crowd,” the IG said. Earlier, UP DGP OP Singh had hinted at the possible involvement of people from West Bengal in the violent protests in UP.