In a bid to curb insubordination in the force and enforce discipline, the Uttar Pradesh Police top brass has come down with a iron fist on unruly elements.

The suspension of police constable Sarvesh Chaudhary underscored the Yogi Adityanath government’s efforts to enforce discipline in the police force. Sarvesh Chaudhary had uploaded a Facebook post in favour of Prashant Chaudhary and Sandeep Kumar, the two constables accused in the murder of Apple techie Vivek Tiwari last week. Chaudhary and Kumar are in jail and have been dismissed from service.

A 2011 batch constable, Sarvesh Chaudhary, who was attached to the 25th PAC battalion in Rae Bareli, was suspended on Thursday. Apart from supporting the two accused constables in the Vivek Tiwari murder case, he had made some objectionable references on the Yogi Adityanath government. Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against him.

The strict action against the constable is being a seen as a warning to the men in khakhi who had decided to observe a ‘black day’ on Friday (October 5) in protest against the alleged “one-sided” action taken against Prashant Chaudhary and Sandeep Kumar. The message had gone viral on social media. Reports quoting the Uttar Pradesh Police Welfare Association claimed that a meeting was proposed to be held in Allahabad on October 6 to decide the “future course of action”.

Earlier, some unofficial reports had claimed that about Rs 5.28 lakh had been deposited in the bank account of accused constable Prashant Chaudhary’s wife Rakhi Malik to enable him to fight the court case. These reports could not be verified. Malik is also a constable and has reportedly been transferred to Ballia district.

With the social media being used to foment discontent in the force, UP Director General of Police OP Singh has issued directives to take strict action against this misuse. A press release issued by the DGP headquarters late on Thursday night expressed dismay that the messages and posts being circulated on the social media, and in the print and electronic media, seemed to suggest there was large scale resentment in the UP Police.

Stating that there was an attempt to kick up unrest through the viral posts, the release said it seemed some retired and dismissed police personnel were involved in the mischief. “Many posts, at the outset, appeared to be fake and planned. Some anti-social elements who with the help of fake IDs claiming to be members of the force, are also uploading inflammatory and objectionable posts on the social media,” the release stated.

The urgency on the part of UP Police top brass to curb even a semblance of dissent in the force is evident from the Police Incitement to Disaffection Act, 1922 being invoked against unknown persons inciting resentment. A case under the 1922 Act and Section 505 (1) of Indian Penal Code has been filed against unknown persons at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.

OP Singh has clarified that there is no resentment in the force. Singh has, however, warned that strict action would be taken in cases of indiscipline.