Patna, July 28: The station house officer (SHO) of Karakat police station in Rohtas district was today put under suspension for his failure to check crime in his jurisdiction.

The action against the officer, S.S. Madhukhar, was taken on the basis of the report of the deputy inspector-general of police (Shahabad range), Sushil Khopde, who was assigned the task to inquire into the people’s complaint about spiralling crime graph in the area.

The police headquarters had ordered a probe into Madhukhar’s role after a group of residents blocked Bikramganj-Karakat road near Gorai village for several hours on Saturday demanding action against the SHO for his failure to contain theft and burglary in the area.

The DIG, in his report submitted to the police headquarters, found the SHO guilty of dereliction of duty. Sources said the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Bikramganj was also charged with inept handling of the situation.

The SDPO, Pramod Kumar, had sustained minor injuries in stone-pelting by the mob, who came out on the streets to vent their ire against the spiralling crime graph. The official vehicles of the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and the SDPO were also damaged.

The DIG could not be contacted, but sources said he had recommended action against the SDPO also.

Sources said the police allegedly had barged into the houses of the residents staging protest and beat them up black and blue. The incident took a political turn after the visit of the leaders of the opposition parties, including the RJD and the CPI(ML). The opposition parties’ leaders criticised the police for their barbaric act, as they did not even spare women and children. The cops allegedly opened fire also.

The police denied the report of firing, but the sources said a person identified as Pramod Rajak had sustained bullet injuries. Arvind Paswan, a local resident, had got his legs fractured in the incident.