Three policemen were suspended after pictures of them showed them mercilessly beating a pick-pocket to coerce him to own up the crime in CM's native town Saifar. An enquiry has also been ordered against the cops.
As per reports, Rupesh alias Pullu of Mainpuri was picked up on charges of stealing some one's purse by the cops near Muchehra petrol pump on the Etah-Mainpuri road on November 27 and brought to the Saifai police station.
To make him own up the crime and also other major theft cases he had committed, sub-inspector Avdhesh Kumar, head constable Gulab Chandra and constable Arvind Singh resorted to third degree measures on the alleged pickpocket during the quizzing. With the accused in custody, the cops came up with some cash claiming that it had been recovered from the accused
However, trouble started for the police team after a video of the excesses were aired by an electronic channel and soon it also hit the social media and went viral within minutes since Thursday morning.
To save the entire police force from further embarrassment, SSP of Wtawah, Manjul Saini claimed to have suspended all three policmen. She also asked Circle Officer of Saifai, AK Dixit to probe the incident threadbare and report to her.
Meanwhile, troubled IPS officer Amitabh Thakur protested the suspension of cops who sported black ribbon to protest inhuman treatment by their bosses. In a letter to CM on Thursday, Thakur criticised the registration of FIR and suspension of cops who protested on November 23 last and demanded it’s withdrawal. Wearing black ribbon while doing prescribed duty with discipline does not constitute impropriety and is part of the right to freedom of expression granted to every citizen.
He said that while genuine grievances of cops were not redressed, FIRs under sections 29 Police Act and Sections 3, 4 Police Forces Restrictions of Rights Act were imposed against Bijay Yadav at Basti. Calling it malafide act on part of IPS officers to safeguard their privilege, Thakur sought quashing actions taken against the cops.