Sandhya Topno, a woman police official engaged in a vehicle checking drive near the Jharkhand capital Ranchi was mowed down on Wednesday early morning by a pickup van allegedly involved in cattle smuggling.
Topno, a 32-year-old Sub Inspector of Police, was conducting the vehicle checking drive at Tupudana on the outskirts of Ranchi, when the speeding vehicle allegedly carrying cattle knocked her down.
After the incident, Sub-Inspector Sandhya Topno was then immediately shifted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences hospital where the doctors declared her dead. SSP Ranchi informed about the incident and said that the Ranchi Police had nabbed the accused and also had seized the vehicle. As per reports, one accused Nigaar Khan has been arrested and he used to breach government work as well, police said. Search is on for another person, who was inside the vehicle and managed to escape.
“Police had information that a pickup van was coming towards Ranchi from Khunti. Police had tried to stop it in Gumla and Khunti districts also, but it did not stop. In the same sequence when the patrolling team at Tupudana tried to stop the vehicle it hit the vehicle and SI Sandhya. She was taken to hospital immediately, but she succumbed to the injuries. The driver of the vehicle has been arrested and the vehicle has been seized,” said SSP Kishor Kaushal.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Raghubar Das has demanded a CBI inquiry in the SI Sandhya Topno murder case. Das said that the syndicate of cattle smugglers is working in the state which needs to be checked. Targeting the JMM/Congress alliance government, the former Chief Minister said that after the coming of this government, the morale of animal smugglers has increased.
Das also demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the kin of the victim. He further said that another courageous daughter of State has become a victim of the criminals. Das said, “The incident indicates that the spirits of criminals have become high that even policemen are not safe in the state. Under the rule of the JMM/Congress government, the courage of the cow smugglers has increased. The matter is related to vote banks. Therefore, like the Roopa Tirkey case, the murder of Sandhya Topno should not remain a mystery.”
Echoing the views of Das, State BJP President and MP Deepak Prakash in a video message said that the business of cow smuggling has increased under the JMM/Congress government. The smugglers have the support of the state government. This incident shows that the state is on the side of Jungle Raj. Prakash demanded the state government to take strict steps immediately to stop cow smuggling.
BJP legislative party leader, Babulal Marandi said that the murder of SI Sandhya Topno by cattle smugglers shows that despite ban illegal cattle smuggling is going in state. Marandi said that it appears that a big gang of cattle smugglers is working in the State. Marandi questioned that when police officers are not safe in the state then how come the government can provide safety and security to common people.
While at the same time BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo raising the issue has pointed out that when there were 10 male police personnel at the police station then why a female SI sandhya was sent on night duty. Shahdeo questioned whether the unarmed SI was sent on duty at the PLFI affected area. Shahdeo has also pointed out where were the cattle, which were seized after the incident.