Telangana cops asked to act on each case with due priority

: Drawing flak for the alleged delay in responding to a complaint from the family of themissing woman veterinarian who was later found raped and murdered near here,the Telangana police on Monday instructed its officers to act on each case with due priority, including registering of a 'Zero FIR'.

Three policemen were suspended last week for the alleged delay in registering the FIR following allegations by the family that the police had cited jurisdictional reasons and not acted on their complaint in time.

The National Commission for Women, which has sent a fact-finding team to the city, has said in its report that prima facie police officials delayed in taking action.

 

In view of this, the police officers have once again been instructed to register cases, irrespective of jurisdiction whenever a complaint related to cognisable offence is received at the police station.

The 'Zero FIR' concept has been there for long and now in the wake of the veterinarians rape and murder,the instructions were reiterated, an official told PTI.

Further instructions have also been given to all the unit officers to register it.

The charred body of the woman, working as an assistant veterinarian at a state-run hospital, was found dumped in a culvert at Shadnagar on the morning of November 28, a day after she went missing.

Four men, all truckers, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on November 29 on charges of raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning the body.

They have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

NCW chief Rekha Sharma said the womans family had told NCW member Shyamal S Kunder who met them on Friday that the police played a 'negative role' in the case.

The bereaved family told Kunder that the police alleged that the veterinarian had eloped with someone.

Kundar said she had recommended action against policemen, after inquiry, who allegedly did not respond on time to the family's complaint.

She found fault with the policemen who allegedly told the victim's sister, who had gone to lodge a complaint, that the case did not fall under their jurisdiction.