Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has issued an order immediately dismissing three policemen who looked on as their colleague was beaten up during a raid at the house of a suspected drug peddler in Amritsar, the Hindustan Times reported on Sunday. A home guard jawan also dismissed from his duty, according to NDTV.
Sub Inspector Baldev Singh’s team had gone to raid the house of Amandeep Singh in Amritsar’s Chogawan village on Friday, the police said. During the raid, some individuals attacked the officer and beat him badly. In a video, which has been widely shared on social media, his colleagues can be seen merely looking on.
“A disgraceful incident happened yesterday which has appeared on social media as well,” Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said in a Facebook post on Saturday. “A narcotics raiding team went to a village to conduct a raid on a suspect. The inspector, who launched this raid, was beaten up by the house incumbents. Five policemen with him – an ASI [Assistant Sub Inspector] and four jawans looked on while their leader was being severely beaten. This act of cowardly behaviour is unacceptable in a uniformed force.”
Punjab Police chief Dinkar Gupta ordered an investigation into the role of the police during the raid. Based on the results of the inquiry, Additional Sub Inspector of Police Sawinder Singh, Head Constable Gurvinder Singh, Constable Nishan Singh and home guard personnel Darshan Singh were dismissed for dereliction of duty, a press statement said.
A case has also been booked against 25 to 30 people for assaulting the policeman.
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