No arrests have been made yet. (Representational Image)
An inquiry has been ordered into the absence of a police gunner allotted to a 55-year-old Dalit woman when she was shot at by bike-borne assailants in Meerut on Saturday, three days before she was slated to record her statement as the prime witness in her son’s murder case.
Savitri Devi suffered a bullet injury on her head, and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital whose doctors said she was in “critical condition”. This is the second such case in the district in two weeks. On January 21, 60-year-old Nichhatar Kaur and her son Balwinder (26) were shot dead within minutes of each other outside their home in Sorkha village. Both were to appear in court a day after, to record their statements as witnesses in the murder case of Kaur’s husband Narendra Singh.
On Sunday, police personnel were deployed outside Savitri Devi’s residence in Rajapur village. While an FIR has been lodged against 14 people, three among them are also accused in her son’s murder case, said police. No arrests have been made yet.
Savitri’s son Chetan alias Bhura was shot dead in 2015 over an argument with his neighbours, said police. As the prime witness to the murder, she was supposed to record her statement in a local court on February 6, they added.
When she was shot at on Saturday morning, Nand Kishore, the police gunner provided to her family for protection, was not with her.
Station Officer (SO) of Saroorpur police station Rishi Pal Singh said, “At around 10.30 am on Saturday, Savitri Devi, a Dalit, had gone to the field, which is around a kilometre from her home, for work. Assailants arrived there on a motorcycle and opened fire on her. On hearing gun shots, villagers ran towards her, following which the assailants escaped from the spot.”
Local residents then rushed her to the hospital for treatment. “The victim sustained a bullet injury on her head. An FIR has been lodged against 14 residents of Rajapur village. All accused belong to the Jat community. Among the 14 persons named in the FIR, three are also accused in the murder case of Chetan. All three are presently out on bail,” the SO said, adding that while no arrests have been made yet, a few people have been detained for questioning.
Circle Officer, Sardana, Santosh Kumar Singh, said, “On Saturday morning, Nand Kishore returned to police station and informed that he was not feeling well. Immediately, another police gunner was sent to the victim’s house. However, before he reached there, the assailants attacked the woman. An inquiry has been ordered against Nand Kishore.”