Lucknow, Aug 19 (IANS): The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh on Monday transferred and suspended Prayagraj's Senior Superintendent of Police, Atul Sharma, after six murders were reported in his district within a span of 24 hours.

Sharma, a 2009 batch IPS officer, was first shifted from Prayagraj to the DGP's office. Later Principal Secretary, Home, Avanish Awasthi announced Sharma's suspension.

Satyarth Anirudhh Pankaj has been posted as the new SSP in Prayagraj, Awasthi said.

In Prayagraj, three persons were killed in Chaufataka area under Dhoomanganj police station in a fight over a land dispute with neighbours.

While the police had started investigating the triple murder, a man, Sachin was shot dead at Allapur area over a petty dispute with Bachcha Pasi.

Even before the Prayagraj police could come to terms with four murders, the double murder of a man and his wife was reported from Hasanpur Korari village under Tharwai police station. Santosh and Seema were sleeping when they were attacked.

Earlier, outgoing SSP Sharma had suspended Dhoomanganj police station's Senior Sub Inspector Tej Bahadur for negligence in duty for the triple murder.

The spate of murders comes as a major embarrassment for the Yogi Adityanath government.