Wednesday, December 21 2005 20:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lucknow: Taking a serious view of the beating of young couples by police personnel in a park in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh Government today (Dec 21, 2005) suspended the Additional Superintendent of Police and the Circle officer of the city and ordered a high level inquiry into the incidents.

ASP Umesh Kumar Srivastava and CO Mukul Dwivedi have been placed under suspension with immediate effect, Principal Secretary, Home, Alok Sinha told newsmen here.

A lady inspector Madhu Malti and in-charge of women police station Mamta Gautam had already been suspended in connection with the incidents yesterday, he said.

Sinha said a high level inquiry had been ordered into the incidents and stern action would be taken against the erring police personnel.

The Government was also seeking legal opinion for registration of case against Mamta, he said.

He said that the complaint regarding disappearance of a couple after the incident would be probed.

The incident has snowballed into a major controversy with the National Human Rights Commission, the State Women Commission and NGOs lodging strong protests.

Police had roughed up a number of couples sitting in the park in the name of checking indecency and eve-teasing at public places yesterday.