Greater Noida man assaulted on road by auto drivers, UP police chief orders time-bound probe

A Greater Noida resident was assaulted by a group of auto-rickshaw drivers on a busy road, prompting Uttar Pradesh police chief Vijay Kumar to take note on Friday and order a time-bound investigation into the matter.

The 32-year-old passenger was assaulted on October 3 after an argument with the auto drivers in Surajpur area. The exact reason for the argument was yet to be ascertained, a local police official said.

As a purported video of the incident surfaced on social media Friday, three suspects involved in the assault were taken into custody, even as Director General of Police (Uttar Pradesh) Kumar ordered that those behind the violence be booked under the stringent UP Control of Goonda Act.

“DGP Vijay Kumar has taken note of the incident that took place in Surajpur area of Greater Noida (West) and has directed for strict action in the case. Three suspects have been taken into custody. The investigation should be completed in a week and charge sheet filed to ensure punishment. The Goonda Act will also be invoked in the case,” a senior police officer in Lucknow said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Suniti said preliminary investigation revealed the incident took place on the night of October 3 in which some auto-rickshaw drivers were involved.

“The complainant approached the police on Thursday. He was sent for medical test as per procedures after receiving a complaint from him and an FIR has been lodged,” she said.

The officer said she has formed three police teams for identification of the accused as seen in the video footage and ensure their arrests. Some other suspects have been taken into custody, DCP Suniti added.

Surajpur police station in-charge Avdhesh Pratap Singh said complainant Ankit Singh lives in Dadri area and owns a couple of auto-rickshaws himself but on October 3 he was travelling as a passenger in one of the vehicles.

He said the FIR was lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 147 (rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 504 (insult to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

“The FIR was lodged immediately on Thursday. We are working on the case and ensure early arrest of those involved in the violence,” Singh told PTI.

Earlier on October 1, a 38-year-old man in Jewar, Greater Noida was also assaulted by a group of locals on a busy roundabout, even as some policemen allegedly stood nearby but did not intervene.

Purported videos of that incident also surfaced on social media, prompting the authorities to launch an investigation and order a departmental inquiry into the allegations of laxity against its personnel.

In September, an FIR was lodged against 10 police officials at the Beta 2 police station for allegedly assaulting a 22-year-old Dalit law student inside the police station's premises in November 2022 and implicating him in a false case.

The student was jailed for alleged extortion in 2022, according to officials, who added that a separate investigation into this matter is also underway.