SI who shot woman in Aligarh thana arrested

MUZAFFARNAGAR: Aligarh police on Saturday arrested sub-inspector Manoj Sharma, who had been on the run since he "accidentally" shot a woman "while cleaning his gun" at Kotwali police station in Aligarh On December 8. Ishrat Nigar (55) was at the police station seeking passport verification for a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. She succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday night.Aligarh SSP Kalanidi Naithani said, "Sharma was captured in Aligarh city and will be produced before court. Investigation into the case is on." Notably, both Sharma and a constable who was in the thana at the time of the incident have already been suspended and are undergoing departmental and magisterial inquiries.Expressing sympathy for the victim's family, Naithani emphasised the department's commitment to accountability. "While the accused face consequences, it's unfair to tar the entire department. Our constables tirelessly serve the public, and we are proud of them," he said.Following a manhunt involving several police teams, Sharma was apprehended at Sootmil Chauraha in Aligarh. The SI, attempting to flee Aligarh, was interrogated about the incident. He had eluded capture after the shooting, leading to a court-issued non-bailable warrant and a Rs 20,000 reward on him.IPC Section 302 (murder) was added to the FIR after Ishrat Nigar's death. Subsequently, a departmental probe implicated head constable Sudeep Kumar for providing the pistol, leading to his arrest and imprisonment.Preliminary findings indicate that Kumar had handed the pistol to Sharma. CCTV footage from the police station captured the moment when Sharma allegedly cocked the weapon at the victim.Ishan Khan, the deceased woman's son, raised questions about the SI's escape from the thana. He wondered why, with multiple personnel present, Sharma walked away unhindered. "It is a big question (on the integrity of the police department)," Khan said.