LUCKNOW: The UP Police have sought public assistance in nabbing the two suspects allegedly involved in the assault on a female head constable on the Saryu Express on August 30.
The police have released images of suspects, extracted from CCTV footage at the railway platform. These images likely capture the moment when the suspects disembarked from the Saryu Express and departed from the railway station after assaulting the policewoman.
However, the authorities have not disclosed the specific location where these images were sourced. UP Police have also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any information that leads to the apprehension of the attacker. They have called upon the public to assist in the apprehension of the suspects.
The UP Special Task Force (STF), responsible for investigating the case, has provided three contact numbers for people to share information.
The STF has assured informants that their identity will remain confidential, and the Rs 1 lakh reward will be presented by Prashant Kumar, UP Police Special Director General, Law and Order.
Earlier, on September 8, inspector-in-charge of Ayodhya Cantt railway station, Pappu Yadav, was transferred to police lines for failing to make any headway in the case, even nine days after the attack.
The severely injured 43-year-old female head constable was discovered beneath a lower berth in the Saryu Express near Ayodhya. She is presently undergoing treatment at the KGMU trauma centre.
The STF was brought in after the Allahabad High Court took suo moto cognisance of the case and inquired about the actions being taken by state police authorities to apprehend the culprits.
The policewoman hails from Prayagraj and is assigned to the 181 Women Helpline Cell in Sultanpur. Her duty was for the Sawan Mela in Ayodhya on August 30.
Earlier, upon the complaint lodged by the woman’s brother, an FIR was registered in the case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging duty), and 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty) of the Indian Penal Code against unidentified individuals.