PSI suspended after ‘video of her beating vendor’ goes viral

HOURS AFTER a video which purportedly exhibits a girl police sub-inspector (PSI) beating a girl street-vendor in Babra city of Amreli district went viral on Wednesday, the PSI was suspended whilst no offence was registered on this connection until late night.
In the video, which was additionally aired by native information channel, the PSI, recognized as Dipika Chuahan, is purportedly seen beating a girl with a baton whilst the girl hurries right into a temple for canopy.
The incident passed off through the weekly Wednesday market which takes place on a bridge throughout Kalubhar river and in hawkers’ zone in Babra city.
DV Prasad, police inspector of Babra, mentioned that he had dispatched a crew to the weekly market to make sure that social distancing is maintained and that folks put on masks because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“The street-vendors were sitting too close to one another and were not maintaining social distance. As they were sitting close buy, customers were also forming crowds. To ensure that social distancing is maintained and people wear face masks, our team ordered them to remove their goods from the place. The vendors obliged but then our team heard them talking about pelting stones on police personnel there. In order to disperse the crowd, our team used mild force but someone shot video and circulated it later on,” Prasad informed The Indian Express.
However, hours later, Nirlipt Rai, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Amreli, suspended PSI Chaudhary.
“Based on what I have seen in the video, we have suspended her on two grounds. Firstly, she was on public duty but she’s not wearing her uniform. If she is not wearing the uniform, how the public would differentiate if she is a police officer or a public person? Secondly, the mob, what I could see is unruly (but) unarmed and there was no possibility of harming the police or creating law and order situation and still she was beating the lady,” Rai informed The Indian Express.
Prasad mentioned that plenty of girls hawkers from different villages and cities come to Babra each Wednesday to promote used clothes and different gadgets. “But it has been difficult to ensure that they maintain social distancing and wear face masks. The local chamber of commerce and industry has also been supporting us in the drive,” added the PI.
However, the PI mentioned that no offence was registered in reference to the incident until late Wednesday night.