Araria (Bihar): A policeman was forced to do 50 sit-ups here by a senior agriculture officer after he stopped the bureaucrat’s vehicle. The policeman had also asked the bureaucrat to show the mandatory pass. The pass is mandatory in Bihar for moving during the coronavirus lockdown. However, instead, the policeman was punished in yet another instance of front-line workers facing harassment.
Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey took strong note of the incident Tuesday. He asserted that action will be taken after a probe report is submitted.
Video of policeman forced to do sit ups go viral
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media. It occurred near Surajpur pul (bridge) under Jokihat police station area Monday. chowkidar Ganesh Lal Tatma halted the vehicle of district agriculture officer Manoj Kumar. He then asked for the pass needed to move around during lockdown.
This riled the officer who, after severely scolding the chowkidar, forced him to do 50 sit-ups while holding his ears. However, he did stop with this act. He threatened Tatma and said he could have sent the latter to jail.
A police officer, who was heard in the video posing as in-charge, also upbraided Tatma for ‘letting him down’ in front of the senior officer. “You have made me feel insulted in front of the senior officer,” the police officer was heard yelling at the chowkidar.
Top police brass angry
Pandey said he has talked to IG of Police and SP of Araria over the unpleasant incident. He disapproved of the conduct of the officials. Pandey said they insulted the chowkidar who as part of the administration was playing an important role in enforcing the lockdown. “It is very shameful and against human dignity,” Pandey said. SP Dhurat Sayali has ordered a probe into the incident.
The DGP said strong action will be taken against the erring officials on the basis of the inquiry report.
Opposition wants justice
Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav came down heavily on the Bihar government on the incident. He blamed the government for letting bureaucracy ‘run the show’ in Bihar. He lamented that a ‘dutiful’ policeman was made to do sit-ups by an officer.
Bihar has reported over 100 case of COVID-19.
Agencies