Muzaffarnagar:

In a clash between two groups at a Shamli village, the Uttar Pradesh Police had booked a five-year-old boy, among others, under IPC section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons). Not only this, cops had also conducted several raids at the child’s house to arrest him. An embarrassed police brass, on Thursday, quickly removed the boy’s name from the FIR. This came even as the minor’s family has appealed to chief minister Yogi Adityanath for intervention in the matter.

Superintendent of police (SP), Shamli, Dinesh Kumar, said, “It is serious blunder on the part of the officers. An explanation has been sought from investigation officer of Kandhla police station, Anoop Kumar, where the FIR was registered, and a few other cops in the matter. Before registering the FIR against the boy, officers should have confirmed his age.”

According to police, the clash occurred in Khandrawali village of Shamli on September

12. An argument had ensued between two residents Mahipal and Manoj over a game of cards. Soon, Manoj’s friends -Sonu and Avinash – had also joined in. The minor child was present in the spot where the fight had taken place. The same evening, Mahipal lodged a complaint of physical assault against Manoj, Sonu, Avinash and the child. An FIR was subsequently lodged and the police added section 326 of the IPC against all accused, including the child.

“Police had raided our house numerous times in the past couple of days. We have been living with our relatives in neighbouring villages out of fear. We have even approached the cops to lodge a cross FIR against Mahipal but were refused. They had booked the boy under the stringent section without any investigation. We demand justice in the matter,” said the boy’s uncle, Pramod Kumar.