From correspondents in Delhi, India, 09:46 PM IST

New Delhi - Crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) or socially marginalised groups in Uttar Pradesh will now be investigated by senior police officials of the rank of deputy superintendent of police, the labour ministry said Friday.

The Uttar Pradesh government has withdrawn the circular it issued on Jan 7 directing that police inspectors and sub-inspectors would investigate cases of atrocities committed against SCs, a release by the ministry said.

The state government acted on the advice of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), which objected to the government directive and even summoned the state chief secretary to discuss the issue, it said.

The commission held that the circular violated the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989.

The revised circular says that all such cases where investigations had been entrusted to inspectors or sub-inspectors would get automatically transferred to the deputy superintendents of police.

According to the 2001 census, Uttar Pradesh has more than 35 million people belonging to SCs - the highest in the country.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)