Station House Officer Suspended for Alleged Misconduct Towards Victim Family

फर्रुखाबाद | संदीप तिवारी

SHO Suspended Over Alleged Misconduct Towards Victim Family

Jahanganj, Farrukhabad | September 17, 2026 - In connection with a nine-month-old child's kidnapping and murder case in the Jahanganj police station area of Farrukhabad, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Jahanganj, Poonam Awasthi, has been suspended with immediate effect. The suspension comes following allegations of alleged mistreatment towards the victim family who were seeking justice.

The incident has sent ripples of shock throughout the police department. The victim, Ashutosh Gupta, the ten-year-old son of Chandra Prakash Gupta from Korikheda village, was kidnapped on December 10, 2025. His body was recovered four days later. An FIR was registered against eleven individuals based on the complaint of the deceased's mother, Poonam Gupta, but the case remained unsolved for nine months.

Allegations of Being Prevented from Chief Minister's Public Gathering

The situation escalated on September 3 when the victim's family was reportedly prevented from attending a public gathering organized by the Chief Minister at the Police Line. Allegations suggest that Jahanganj police arrived at the village, confined the family to their home, and resorted to pushing and shoving, and even physical assault when they protested. The family also claims that police personnel attempted to delete video data from their mobile phones.

A video related to this incident went viral on social media, intensifying the matter and causing a stir within the administrative circles. The victim's sister, Anshika Gupta, and uncle, Ramjit, traveled to Lucknow on September 10 to meet Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, seeking an impartial investigation.

Complaint Lodged with Higher Authorities

Prior to this, the family had also appealed to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and other senior officials, demanding a fair investigation and expressing hope for justice. Recognizing the gravity of the situation and in response to the viral video and the victim family's complaint, Superintendent of Police Aarti Singh took swift action based on a preliminary inquiry, issuing the severe action against SHO Poonam Awasthi.

Following the suspension, discussions have intensified among district police officials regarding excessive strictness or insensitive behavior towards victims. The victim family now hopes that this action will lead to a successful resolution of their case and bring them the justice they seek.