5 Railway policemen suspended for assault on BJP MP

NAT43National/Politics/Crime5 Railway policemen suspended for assault on BJP MPBhopal, Oct 5 IANS Five Railway Protection Force RPF personnel accused of beating up BJP parliamentarian Virendra Kumar Khatik during an anti-encroachment drive in Madhya Pradesh's Bina town have been suspended, an official said Sunday. "Inspector Vivek Sharma, assistant sub-inspector S.K. Sharma and constables Sudhir, Gokul and Kartar Singh have been suspended, pending inquiry," RPF Commandant Sarika Mohan told IANS. On Saturday, they were transferred to police lines. Khatik was critically injured Friday when a group of RPF personnel surrounded him and caned him in full public view when he tried to stop the demolition of shops illegally built on a railway land in Chhota Bajarial locality in Bina town. A three-time MP, Khatik received eight stitches on his head after being hit by the policemen, who were angered by stone pelting by a group of shopkeepers affected by the demolition drive.Director General of Police S.K. Raut Saturday ordered an enquiry into the incident and appointed Inspector General of Police Railway Aruna Mohan Rao as the investigating officer."On a complaint by the MP's representative Gopichand Dasani, an attempt to murder case has been registered in Bina Kotwali police station against GRP Government Railway Police station house officer S.S. Badgurjar, RPF Commandant Sarika Mohan, RPF inspector Vivek Sharma and four other RPF personnel," Raut told IANS. "I have ordered a probe into the incident and asked the inquiry officer to submit the report within three days," Raut added.The 54-year-old MP from Sagar was bleeding profusely when he was rushed in an unconscious state Friday to Bhopal's Hamidia Hospital. His condition was stable, a doctor said Sunday. --Indo-Asian News Servicess/rd/vt303 Words05101705