UP: Minor raped, killed in Aligarh..

New Delhi: After Punjab and Bihar, the ugly face of Indian police force once again came to light in Uttar Pradesh. 

Women protesters were brutally lathicharged in Aligarh on Thursday after they clashed with the men in uniform over the murder and alleged rape of a 6-year-old girl in Nagla Kalar area.

The minor girl went missing on Thursday morning and later her body was found at a garbage dump.

The victim's family alleged that she was strangled to death after being sexually abused.

The alleged rape and subsequent murder of the girl triggered protest in the area as scores of locals gathered at Banna Devi police station here and pelted stones.

Police fired in the air and resorted to baton-charge to disperse the mob in which seven persons, including two women, were injured.

The video footage of the police crackdown shows officers thrashing and hitting women, including the mother and father of the victim, with lathis and dragging them away.

What was even more shocking was the police reaction in the aftermath of the incident. The police seemed to be justifying the brutal crackdown.

Aligarh Division DIG Prakash D said, "The dead body of a six-year-old girl was recovered. We went there for investigation and postmortem of the body. The locals were agitating there. They tried to attack the police team without any provocation. We had to use little force against them."

However, the officer added, "There is an allegation that there was some attack against women by police. We are looking into it. If this is proved there will be action against the police officers responsible."

Taking note of the baton-charge on women, as shown by some news channels, Additional Director General, Law and Order Arun Kumar ordered a probe into the matter and asked the DIG Prakash D to submit his report within three days.

"The report will cover lathi-charge on women by the police and the entire incident. Action will be taken against policemen after the report," Kumar said.

When asked about media reports, showing policemen firing in the air to disperse the mob, DIG Aligarh division Prakash D said that these reports were not true.

He said that there were no serious injuries to any one during the brick batting and subsequent lathi-charge by the police.

The allegation of rape will only be confirmed after a post mortem examination is conducted, Prakash said, adding that the matter is being probed.