Kannauj: Dalit teen feared drowned after jumping into river to escape police; 3 cops suspended for negligence

According to cops, a police team, comprising the sub-inspector and a constable, visited the Dalit boy’s house on Sunday afternoon looking for his elder brother in connection with the kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl in January this year

Lucknow | Updated: October 14, 2025 10:14 AM IST

A 16-year-old Dalit boy is feared to have drowned after he jumped into a river in a village in Kannauj on Sunday afternoon as he tried to run away from police, who had come to his house looking for his elder brother, wanted in a kidnapping case.

Three police personnel, including a sub-inspector, a station house officer, and a constable, have been suspended for negligence, said Superintendent of Police (Kannauj) Vinod Kumar.

Meanwhile, a massive search operation, involving divers and a team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), has been launched in the Kali river to trace the boy.

According to cops, a police team, comprising the sub-inspector and a constable, visited the Dalit boy’s house on Sunday afternoon looking for his elder brother in connection with the kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl in January this year.

The sub-inspector, who was investigating the kidnapping case, found that the missing girl had been in contact with a youth for the past few months. The youth’s house was 15 km from the girl’s house.

After learning about the youth’s possible involvement in the kidnapping case, the sub-inspector, accompanied by a constable, went to the youth’s house. When his family members informed the police that he was not at home, the police officer proceeded towards nearby fields, where his younger brother was working.

“It has been alleged that upon spotting the approaching policemen, the younger brother panicked and began to run before jumping into the Kali river, which flows a short distance from the field. According to preliminary reports, the boy may have feared that the police had come to arrest him in connection with the kidnapping case involving his elder brother,” Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar said.

Police further stated that the Kali river merges into the Ganga, approximately 40 km downstream, making the search operation challenging. Till Monday evening, there was no trace of the boy.

Meanwhile, state Minister Asim Arun and DIG (Kanpur) Harish Chandra reached the village and met the boy’s family members. Arun, who is the Minister of State (Independent charge) for Social Welfare, Scheduled Caste and Tribal Welfare, said that the government stands with the boy’s family and action will be taken against the guilty police personnel. He later met the family and the DIG and assured all possible help to the boy’s mother. He also promised to provide a lease of 5 bighas of land to the family, a house under the Chief Minister’s housing scheme, Rs 2,500 per month under the Child Welfare Scheme for both children, and a pension to their mother.

With PTI