Sacked UP police recruits protest in Agra

Dozens of police recruits took to the streets of Agra to protest the en masse sacking of thousands of them by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Agra, Sept 13 : Dozens of police recruits took to the streets of Agra to protest the en masse sacking of thousands of them by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

"They have not only suspended the fraud ones but also the ones who were right. We will continue with the protest till our demands are met," said Sandeep Singh, a sacked police recruit.

The protesters later boarded a train to Allahabad to file a petition in the high court against their suspension.

Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday sacked 6,500 police officers, saying they had paid bribes to get jobs under previous Mulayam Singh Yadav regime.

Mayawati also fired 12 senior officers who were in-charge of police recruitment in Uttar Pradesh.

After winning power in May, Mayawati ordered an inquiry that concluded that thousands of policemen paid recruiters 150,000 to 300,000 rupees for their jobs under the Yadav Government.

The Government has taken action based on the inquiry report submitted by a committee headed by Additional Director General Shailja Kant Misra about the irregularities in the recruitment of around 22,000 by 14 out of 55 recruitment boards.

The recruitments were reportedly made during 2005-06.

Both Mayawati and Yadav have been in power several times, and have a habit of firing or demoting people associated with their opponents whenever they regain power, although the media reported that it had never been done it on this scale before.

Yadav, who remains Leader of Opposition in he State, rejected charges of corruption.

ANI