Shimla, Oct. 16 -- Taking strict note of laxity in investigations into the death of a 12-year-old boy who allegedly killed self after being harassed owing to "caste discrimination" in Rohru, Shimla district, the chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission, Kuldeep Kumar Dhiman, has ordered suspension of the investigating officer. Dhiman issued directions to place the investigation officer, ASI Manjeet, under suspension and sought explanation from deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Rohru. A 12-year-old allegedly died by suicide after he was reportedly locked inside a cowshed by an "upper caste" woman for entering their house at a village in Shimla district. As per a complaint filed by the deceased's father on September 20, he found his son lying unconscious on the evening of September 16 and rushed him to community health centre in Rohru from where he was referred to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, where he died during treatment the next day. The complainant said that his wife told him their son was harassed and locked inside a cowshed by "upper caste" women after he entered their house while playing. Traumatised by the harassment, the boy the boy took the step, the complainant said, following which the police registered a case against the women, who have been granted interim bail by the court. Terming the police probe as unsatisfactory, Dhiman said, "The police investigation so far has been unsatisfactory. When an FIR was filed on September 20, the case was not registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989." He said, "The investigating officer in the case had not investigation properly." He also asked to provide security to victim's family members. The commission on Wednesday had reached Rohru with regards to the inquiry in the case. Dhiman stated, "The complaint filed by the victim's family to the police mentioned that the child was declared untouchable upon entering the house and that the father had to give a goat for the purification of the house. However, the police did not consider it appropriate to register a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989. When the matter reached the high court, the case was registered under the provisions of the Act. Despite this, the police failed to arrest the accused woman." He stated that the commission has been monitoring the entire matter since it came to light. He said, "On October 1, the SDPO, Rohru, was asked to submit a report within three days, but he failed to submit it within the stipulated time. The Commission received the report from the DGP's office on October 14, 2025. The local police have been lax in their response to the Commission's orders." The Commission received a detailed report from the investigating officers and inquired about various aspects of the case. Additionally, it held a meeting with the victim's family members, who provided detailed information about the incident. The family also received financial assistance of Rs. 4,12,500 from the government through the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. He said that the chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is keeping an eye on this entire matter and he had given instructions that the commission should meet the victim's family and play its role in providing all possible assistance. Himachal Pradesh high court has already declined to grant pre arrest bail to the accused woman. ".a prima facie reading of the status report and FIR shows that the accused had given beatings to the deceased (a member of the scheduled caste) and confined him to the cowshed because the deceased happened to touch the house of the accused, and she wanted a sacrificial goat for purification. Hence, the offence was committed because of the caste of the deceased and would not have been committed had the deceased not been a member of the scheduled caste. Therefore, it is not possible to conclude, at this stage, that the petitioner has not prima facie, committed an offence punishable under Section 3(2) (va) of the SC & ST Act" read the detailed order of justice Rakesh Kainthla, while dismissing pre arrest bail plea....