UP removes police officer for backing honour killing

Lucknow, May 11 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government has removed Saharanpur Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Satish Kumar Mathur for his "uncharitable remarks" to a man whose daughter had eloped.

The move late Thursday came hours after Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said he was amazed that "officials of such stature and at such senior field posts do not understand the seriousness of their job and the responsibility that comes with it".

Mathur was caught on camera telling a complainant that he should kill either the girl or himself out of shame. The statement was taken as supporting honour killing.

The senior officer has now been attached to the director general of police (DGP) headquarters in Lucknow and is unlikely to be given a field posting in the near future, officials said.

His remark was beamed on national television, prompting the National Commission for Women (NCW) to call for his resignation for advocating and promoting honour killing.

The state government also removed another police officer, Sant Kabeer Nagar police superintendent Dharmendra Singh, for his comment that he was tired of catching women.

At a recent meeting with officials, the police officer had said that he was in a fix whether to run after eloped girls to bring them back home or to arrest criminals and robbers. His remarks were reported to senior officials in the government, after which the top officers cracked the whip Thursday.