16 skulls found; 6 police officials 'punished' for laxity in probe

Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Dec 30 (UNI) A total of sixteen skulls of children and women have so far been recovered in the digging and searches conducted by the police in Nithari village of Sector 31, following the arrest and confession of a serial killer here, even as six police officials were today 'punished' for laxity in conducting investigations.

The accused Surendra today admitted to having killed 15 women and children, said a senior police official adding that while five police officials were suspended and one was sent to the police lines after investigations revealed of their laxity in conducting probe when complaints of missing children were made through the nearly two year long period.

Among those suspended are former area SHOs R N Singh Yadav and Deepak Chaturvedi and Chowki (Post) Incharge K P Singh, Rajiv Balyan and Vinod Pandey while the one sent to the police lines is present area SHO B P Singh Yadav, he said.

''The 'punishment' follows after investigations by SP (City) Saumitra Yadav found prima facie evidence of their negligence in the case.'' Some more head are also likely to roll as investigations proceed, he added.

Meanwhile, both the accused -- Surendra and Mohinder -- were today remanded to police custody for two days. This, the police said, was to identify those they killed through photographs of missing ones.

Of the skeletal remains of 16 people police admitted to have found, ten have been identified either through photo identification by the killer or through clothes and belongings by the victims' relatives.

On disclosures by Surendra, the official said, ''The accused has confessed to having raped and killed nine children and six women.

One of them was Deepika alias Payal, whose mobile recovery led to the gruesome crime coming to light. Others were those who worked in the area as maids or did petty jobs and were lured into the house where the accused lived.'' Yesterday, Surendra admitted to having killed six children.

Surendra confessed to committing the crime at the behest of his employer Mohinder Singh Pandher (60), a manufacturer and supplier of earth movers and bulldozers, who was also a party to all that happened in the house.

''The accused is being questioned and investigations are proceeding in the right direction. However, searches inside the house are yet to be done and more evidence could be found,'' the officer added.

The police today revealed that skulls of 16 people had been counted from the 'recoveries' made so far and the 'identification' of those killed was still on.

In the searches carried in the 'nullah' flowing in front of the house today, skeletal remains of several women were recovered.

Police suspect they were of the women Surendra confessed to have killed.

Skulls and bones were also found yesterday from the drain at the backyard of the accused's house.

Sarees, bangles and other belongings of women were also recovered from the 'excavations' done over a 100 metre stretch of the about 5-feet wide 'nullah', besides the remains of their torso.

Police had to resort to a lathicharge thrice during the day to disperse crowds which had gathered to witness the recovery work being carried out by them.

Earlier, parents of eight children recognised the clothes of their wards from the heap of clothings, shoes and other belongings recovered yesterday from the house of the accused.

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