CHANDIGARH: The Prakash Singh committee has indicted several senior IAS and IPS officers, for their lack of competence, and utter failure during the Jat agitation violence in Haryana in February. Over 30 people were killed and 300-something others injured. The state government unleashed action, suspending three Haryana Civil Services officers and 10 deputy superintendents of police for lapses during the violence.
Sources said that both the chief minister and the chief secretary are currently studying the committee report and will soon take a call on taking action against IAS and IPS officers indicted in the report. Senior level officers were in touch with the CM's office and officials of the Department of Personnel and Training at the centre were given the sensitivity of the issue. "The roles of the senior officers are being probed," said Home Secretary Ram Niwas. Suspended HCS officers include former sub-divisional magistrate of Gohana, Dharmender Singh, former Hansi SDM Jagdeep Singh, and SDM of Jhajjar city Pankaj Kumar. Pankaj Kumar is believed to have discouraged police from taking action against rioters, while the other two are accused of failing to control the mobs.
Suspended DSPs include Sukhbir Singh of the state crime bureau (SCB) who was DSP of Rohtak at Kalanaur during the violence, Surender Singh of SCB, earlier posted in Meham, Vijender Singh, DSP, headquarters at Rohtak, and Pawan Kumar, DSP, Rohtak city. Rohtak was the epicenter of all trouble as the violence had started from here on February 17 after which it spread to other districts in the state.
