UP constable suspended for assaulting tempo driver, pinning him down with foot

A video of a constable assaulting a tempo driver in Lucknow’s Madiaon area on Wednesday night has come as an embarrassment for the Uttar Pradesh police.

The police department jumped into action soon after the clip went viral on the social media, with Lucknow senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kalanidhi Naithani ordering the suspension of constable Anand Pratap Singh as well as the sub-inspector accompanying him on Friday. Madiaon inspector TP Singh was also transferred to the police lines for handling the issue in a shoddy fashion.

An FIR has been filed against the constable.

The video of the incident showed the constable – who had arrived in a UP 100 police response vehicle (PRV) – assaulting the tempo driver while keeping him pinned down to the ground with his foot.

The victim was identified only as Tintin.

According to Naithani, the incident occurred after the PRV reached the Engineering College flyover to look into an accident involving the tempo and a rickshaw carrying a three-member family around 11.30 pm on Wednesday. The call on the UP 100 number was made by one Vinod Kumar.

According to the SSP, the constable violated standard protocol by assaulting the tempo driver. The PRV commander – sub-inspector Ashok Kumar Mishra – had not done anything to stop him either, he added.

The administration organised a day-long sensitisation drive for UP 100 police personnel on Saturday. The SSP said all gazetted and non-gazetted officers were asked to brief police personnel on the standard protocol.

The drive was carried out in the wake of frequent complaints against UP 100 personnel, he added.

First Published: Aug 26, 2018 10:37 IST