UP: Upset over police action during lockdown, mob attacks cops, several hurt; 42 arrested

Kanwardeep Singh | TNN | Apr 6, 2020, 21:46 IST

Representative image

BAREILLY: An angry mob of around 200 people surrounded a police outpost in Izzatnagar area of Bareilly district and started pelting stones at the cops on Monday. The men were protesting against an earlier police action during the ongoing nationwide lockdown. Several cops had suffered minor injuries in the incident. At least 42 people have been arrested and FIR has been registered against them.
There was tension in Karampur Chaudhary village ever since a police team had allegedly thrashed a few locals while trying to enforce the Covid-19 lockdown. Defying social distancing norms, several locals were said to be loitering on the streets. After the stone pelting incident, three women among 42 were arrested. The police also conducted raids in the area. An FIR under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) along with the sections of rioting and section 7 of Criminal Law Amendment Act has been registered.
SP (city) Ravindra Kumar said, “A mobile team was on a routine patrol in Karampur Chaudhary where a few youngsters had assembled. They were not following social distancing orders. Police had to take action against them to enforce the lockdown. Soon, they gathered at the police outpost in Izzatnagar. After a while, around 80 people arrived along with an unconscious person. They claimed that he was thrashed by police. SHO of Izzatnagar police station immediately took the unconscious person to a hospital where a doctor found that he had not sustained any injury and was only pretending to be unconscious.”
Kumar further said, “Later, we received information that around 200 people had gathered at the police outpost and had started creating a ruckus. Some of them were even ransacking the place. ASP Abhishek Verma then rushed to the spot and bought the situation under control. A videography of the incident was done by police and support staff. It would be used as evidence against the accused.”
Meanwhile, SSP Shailesh Pandey told TOI, “We have identified around 50 people so far. They were part of the mob that attacked the police outpost and injured a few of our men on duty. IPS officer Abhishek Verma has also sustained minor injuries as he slipped while confronting the mob. We have arrested 42 people, including the village head, who was leading them. An FIR has been registered. People who misguided the crowd and attacked policemen will also be identified and NSA is likely to be slapped against them.”