While the victim’s relatives are demanding a case of murder against the policemen involved, Sitapur SP Preetinder Singh has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

“The post-mortem report did not ascertain the cause of death, the viscera has been preserved for forensic tests. The only injury on the boy’s body was a mark below one of his knees,” said the SP.

“The police team which raided the boy’s house claimed that they had not assaulted him, but had taken his elder brother, who is 12 years old, with them to seek his help in tracing the accused,” said the SP, adding that the Circle Officer of Biswan has been asked to probe the incident.

According to Singh, Punai, a resident of Nakela village, had allegedly raped a six-year-old girl in Laharpur area on March 5. The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Shiv Kumar Rawat, accompanied by four constables, raided Punai’s house the same night.

While Punai and the rest of his family were not at home, his younger brothers, Jamaluddin (12) and Altaf (10), were both present. The police claim to have taken Jamaluddin with them, as the boy reportedly told them that the accused had gone to the house of a relative, Salim, in Hargaon.