Etawah/Lucknow (PTI): In a shocking incident of police brutality, two men in uniform beat up a six-year Dalit girl for allegedly stealing Rs 280 from a woman in Etawah district, sparking a national outrage after which one policeman was sacked and two of his colleagues were suspended.

The girl Komal was beaten up on Monday after one Anju Katharia took her to Jaswantpur Police Station alleging the child had stolen Rs 280 from her wallet and gave the money to another boy in a market near Lohamandi in Jaswantpur area.

Senior sub-inspector Shyamlal Yadav pulled the girl up in the air by clutching her hair, threatened and scolded her and asked her to admit that she stole the money as six other policemen, including SHO Chandrabhan Singh, remained mute spectators.

Yadav beat Komal up although she was innocent, the victim's mother claimed in an FIR.

"My daughter saw somebody running away with a wallet in the market but the police caught my daughter," she claimed.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati said Yadav was dismissed and Chandrabhan Singh and a Deputy Superintendent of Police were suspended.

An inquiry was ordered into the incident and Director General of Police Vikram Singh asked to submit a report within three days so that further action can be taken against the guilty, Mayawati told reporters in Lucknow.

Criminal cases have been filed against two policemen, Vikram Singh told reporters in Kanpur adding the Etawah SP has also been directed to personally apologise to the child.