Condemning the ‘assault’ of a Sikh Gramin Sewa tempo driver by policemen in Mukherjee Nagar area on Sunday, leaders of various political parties on Monday joined ranks to demand a fair probe into the incident claiming that policemen insulted the man by attacking his turban.
The issue took a political turn soon after a purported video of the incident showing the tempo driver waving his “kirpan” (a small dagger carried by Sikhs) and chasing policemen before being overpowered and beaten up by the cops went viral on the social media triggering widespread condemnation, leading to a political storm and the suspension of three policemen.
Delhi Chief Minsiter Arvind Kejriwal on Monday demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal take strict action against the police personnel who allegedly assaulted a driver in Delhi. Kejriwal, who met the family of the man, said the Delhi police’s “brutality” in Mukherjee Nagar area on Sunday was highly condemnable and unjustified.
“I demand an impartial probe into the whole incident & strict action against the guilty. Protectors of citizens can’t be allowed to turn into uncontrolled violent mobsters,” the Chief Minister tweeted.
Kejriwal said, “I appeal to the Home Minister and the L-G to take strict action against the guilty so that no citizen is treated like this in the future.”
“Incidents of crime have increased in Delhi. The home minister and the L-G need to act strictly. It was an unfortunate incident. I hope that the guilty police personnel will be punished severely,” Kejriwal said.
The incident took place on Sunday evening. In a video posted on social media it can be seen that a man was chasing some policemen with a sword in his hand, while the policemen were seen thrashing him with batons in another.
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Manoj Tiwari said there was no place for violence in society, while demanding punishment for the guilty. “Violence has no place in any Civil Society. Mukherjee Nagar incident is sad and condemnable. Free and fair enquiry should be done, so that no innocent should be punished and guilty should be brought to book,” he said in a tweet.Delhi
Congress spokesperson Jitendra Kochar also demanded a thorough probe into the incident. Mere suspension of the guilty police officials was not enough, he said, while demanding that they be removed from service.
Meanwhile, a delegation of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee’s (DSGMC) led by its president Manjinder Singh Sirsa called on Delhi Commissioner of Police (CP) on Sunday and demanded an enquiry in connectionof an alleged assault on driver of a mini taxi at Mukherjee Nagar area of north Delhi.
Sirsa said that the CP has assured them that a criminal case will be registered against all those police personnel who were involved in mercilessly beating Sikh auto driver Sarbjit Singh and his minor son.
He said that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal is himself monitoring the case and had directed the delegation to take up matter with the CP. The victim Sarbjit Singh, General Secretary Harmeet Singh Kalka, Senior vice president Bibi Ranjit Kaur, Junior vice
president Kulwant Singh Bath and others were also part of the delegation.
Sirsa said that the DSGMC and the SAD will take every step needed to ensure that Sarbjit Singh and his minor son get justice. He said that there will be no compromise on the security of the Sikhs in the whole nation and we are actively working on this angle.
According to the police, three personnel have been suspended for their “unprofessional conduct” in handling the matter and legal action would be taken on the basis of an inquiry, which would be conducted by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Vijayanta Arya and two other senior officers.
According to a senior police officer, the accident between a ‘Gramin Sewa’ tempo and the police vehicle led to an argument between them that soon turned violent. The tempo driver allegedly attacked the police personnel with a sword and also drove dangerously.