Telangana police suspend SI over POCSO case handling after accused kills six

Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.Telangana Police on July 11, Saturday, suspended the Shabad Sub-Inspector who handled an earlier Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case against P Rajkumar, the man accused of killing six people a day earlier while out on anticipatory bail. The department also announced a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh for credible information leading to Rajkumar’s arrest, as questions mounted over the police’s handling of the POCSO case.In an official press note, the Future City Police announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for information leading to the location, tracking, or apprehension of Rajkumar, who is wanted in connection with six counts of alleged murder. Police said intensive search operations were underway across multiple jurisdictions and assured that the identity of informants would be kept strictly confidential.The suspension of the Shabad Sub-Inspector came amid criticism over the decision to grant station bail to Rajkumar after he was booked under the POCSO Act in May.Responding to allegations of police inaction in the earlier case, Future City Police Commissioner Tarun Joshi said complaints against the police personnel were being examined. “There are complaints of inaction from police in the previous POCSO case. They are raising complaints about the police. We are examining that,” Joshi said, adding that Rajkumar had been counselled by the police two or three times after he secured anticipatory bail.Referring to the accused’s background, the Commissioner said Rajkumar’s family had informed the police that he was under mental stress. “His family members said he wasn't in a good mental state, that he had a habit of gambling, that he was in debt, and because of that also he was mentally disturbed,” he said.The case also triggered sharp political reactions, with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao accusing the Congress government of failing to maintain law and order. “The Shabad massacre is a complete failure of the Telangana government's law-and-order machinery. CM Revanth Reddy must take responsibility for this shocking breakdown of law and order,” he stated.Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Telangana president RS Praveen Kumar alleged that police had failed to act despite repeated complaints from the victim’s family after the POCSO case was registered on May 16.According to Praveen Kumar, the minor girl, her mother, and her uncle had lodged a complaint at Shabad police station, following which a case was registered. He alleged that the family returned to the police station three or four times, urging officers to take Rajkumar into custody as they feared he posed a threat, but no action was taken.Praveen Kumar also criticised Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who holds the Home portfolio, alleging serious lapses in the handling of POCSO cases in Telangana. He questioned how Rajkumar secured anticipatory bail and remained free despite the allegations, and compared the case with that of Bandi Bhageerath, in which the accused was arrested more than a week after an FIR was registered.Rajkumar is accused of killing six people on the night of July 10, Friday, including the minor girl who had filed the POCSO complaint against him, her mother, and grandmother. He is also alleged to have murdered his own wife and two young sons before fleeing.