Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava had on Wednesday admitted that he has received several complaints about misbehaviour by policemen during the lockdown.
These people are reportedly migrant labourers who are forced to move back to their natives as the lockdown has left them with no work. (Photo: Twitter | @PAPA__Tweets)
It’s been just two days into the nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to combat the spread of Coronavirus, and several videos and complaints have already emerged from various parts of the country regarding police action on alleged violators.
Recently, a video had emerged from western Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun town, wherein a policeman was seen making people crawl wearing their bags, as a punishment for violating the lockdown.
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These people are reportedly migrant labourers who are forced to move back to their natives as the lockdown has left them with no work or any source of income.
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THIS-Heartbreaking Video from Badaun, UP.
Poor boys who’re on foot from Gwalior, WERE MADE TO CRAWL by UP Police
Cops should help ,not treat like this.
Many doing good work but this is unacceptable!
@Uppolice @dgpup @CMOfficeUP@budaunpolice @UN @hrw @UPGovt #Lockdown21 pic.x.com/j92phplG6s— Nautankibaaj (@PAPA__Tweets) March 26, 2020
Reacting on the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Badaun Ashok Kumar Tripathi told media that he is “ashamed” about what has happened.
“The policeman seen in the video is a probationer with about a year of experience. Senior officers were present but manning other spots. Corrective action will be taken. I apologise for the video and am ashamed about what happened. Investigation is being conducted against the responsible person,” the district police chief said.
Another incident has been reported from Haryana where preparations for a wedding ceremony were stalled by the police in Fatehabad for violating the lockdown.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Fatehabad Subhash Chandra has said that a report has been registered in the matter and facts are being verified.
A youth allegedly died after a police baton charge for violating the ongoing lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, with his family claiming that he had gone out to buy milk when the cops beat him up in West Bengal’s Howrah district.
However, the Deputy Commissioner (south) of Howrah City Police Raju Mukherjee denied any baton charge by the police and said the deceased was ailing and passed away due to cardiac arrest.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava had on Wednesday admitted that he has received several complaints about misbehaviour by policemen during the lockdown. However, he issued guidelines through an audio statement and asked them to be more careful.
“Several complaints of misconduct by the police during the lockdown have been received. The police should not do this. They should, rather, assist people in dealing with the difficulties during the pandemic outbreak. The Delhi Police should not only help the people but also the animals during this hour of crisis,” he said.
Across the country, heartbreaking pictures have emerged of migrant labourers, daily wage workers forced to take long walks home after the lockdown was imposed and could not find any means of transport for their journey.
PM Modi on Tuesday evening announced a “total lockdown” across the country, asking people to “forget about stepping out of their homes” for the next three weeks.
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