UP Police seek to conduct narco test on accused in Dalit village head murder case

The police have sought permission from a local court to conduct a narco-analysis test on four people, including two from the victim's side, in connection with the murder of a Dalit village head last month, officials said on Wednesday.

They said since the victim, Dwarka Prasad Rao, was shot at his home, the narco-analysis test is needed to ascertain whether he was killed by someone inside the house or an outsider.

Rao's family members have been sitting on a 'dharna' at the collectorate here for the past few days demanding justice for him.

In the recent Uttar Pradesh panchayat polls, Rao was elected from a general seat as the head of Karnai village in the Jarwal block. The results were announced on May 2.

He was shot at on the night of June 16 while he was sleeping in the balcony of his house. He died during treatment at a Lucknow hospital on June 20.

"There is no doubt that Prasad was murdered. But it needs to be ascertained whether he was killed by an outsider or someone who was inside his house. This can be done through the lie detector or narco-analysis test of both parties," medico-legal expert of the UP Police G Khan told PTI.

"The victim had an injury on the left side and the door was on the right side. This scientific test is necessary to clear the doubts," he added.

Station House Officer (SHO), Jarwal, Pramod Kumar Singh said on the advice of the medico-legal expert, permission has been sought from the court to conduct the narco-analysis test on two people from both sides.

"While accused are in favour of the test, the victim's family is not cooperating and they are taking dates in the court," he said.

The local court has fixed August 10 as the next date of hearing, he added.

However, Rao's son, Ram Manorath, who has been protesting outside the collectorate with other members of the family, said he has no objection to the narco-analysis test but wants the accused to be booked under the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act.

Rao's family members alleged that the accused are roaming freely after killing Rao and are even threatening them.

Former MP and national president of Kanshiram Bahujan Moolniwasi Party Savitri Bai Phule joined the protest at the collectorate.

Later, the victim's family agreed to end the protest, according to Superintendent of Police Sujata Singh.

The officer said that she met the victim's family and assured them of an unbiased probe into the case, following which they agreed to end their 'dharna'.