2 Madhya Pradesh Cops Sacked Over Failure To Arrest Rape Accused

In a strong expression of displeasure over the delay in arresting the accused in the rape of a six-year-old girl in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav late on Tuesday night ordered the immediate removal of the Raisen Superintendent of Police and the Misrod police station in-charge.

The Chief Minister's action came after an emergency meeting convened at 8:15 pm at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) with top state officials, including the Director General of Police (DGP), Additional Director General (ADG) Intelligence, and the Bhopal Police Commissioner.

Chief Minister Yadav reportedly expressed severe displeasure not only with the police's inability to arrest the accused who has now remained at large for four days but also with their "lax response" in handling the massive public protests and road blockades that have gripped the region.

The 23-year-old accused, identified as Salman, remains on the run even four days after the incident on the evening of November 21. He allegedly lured the six-year-old girl, who was playing outside her home, to a nearby forest on the pretext of giving her chocolate and fled after raping her.

The survivor was found in a blood-soaked condition in the forest. She is currently admitted to AIIMS Bhopal, and doctors report that her condition is improving. However, the initial response was marred by negligence at the local hospital when no ambulance was available for over an hour, forcing the family to use a private vehicle to take the critical child to Bhopal. This negligence fueled initial public anger.

The community outrage has solidified into a three-day protest outside the Gauharganj police station, with villagers, including women and girls, staging a continuous sit-in despite the biting cold. This came after a violent protest and a massive highway blockade. Police initially used mild force (lathi-charge) to clear the highway, but protesters quickly returned, prompting the deployment of personnel from five police stations.

Authorities have now increased the reward for information leading to the accused's arrest to Rs 30,000. Twenty police teams and around 300 personnel have been deployed across the region as part of the intensified search operation.