Coronavirus lockdown: Bihar DGP apologises to cop who was made to do sit-ups for asking officer to show vehicle pass

In a rare gesture, the Director General of Police (DGP) in Bihar, Gupteshwar Pandey, has apologised to the junior policeman who was made to do sit-ups for asking vehicle pass from an agriculture officer in Araria district.

The DGP personally made a phone call to the Home Guard jawan, Ganesh Lal, and told him, “Jo hua uska mujhe dukh hai. Hum aapse maafi mangte hain. Aisa nahi hona chahiye tha (I am deeply pained over the incident. I apologise to you. This should not have happened).”

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The home guard jawan, earlier this week, was made to do 50 sit-ups by a sub-inspector Govind Singh as the junior cop had ‘dared’ to ask an agriculture officer, Manoj Kumar, to show his vehicle pass for moving during the lockdown to contain COVID-19.

Also read — Bihar cop made to do sit-ups for asking officer to show vehicle pass

The DGP, who shared the details of his conversation with the home guard jawan on social media, told Ganesh that the sub-inspector Govind Singh had been suspended for his unacceptable behaviour.

“Don’t lose your confidence. Continue with your good work with the same zeal. The government will soon initiate action against all those (including the agriculture officer) who humiliated you for no fault of yours,” the DGP told Ganesh.

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Meanwhile, Bihar Home Secretary Amir Subhani has asked the Agriculture Department to initiate action against the agriculture officer Manoj Kumar as he was found guilty in the report submitted by Araria DM in the cop sit-ups case.

The Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) too has asked the Nitish regime to take “immediate action” against the guilty officers involved in the incident. “The incident involves a gross violation of not only human rights of the victim but also breaking down of the laws and rules by the officers who are supposed to be the custodian of law and who stoop so low as to violate them,” said the BHRC order.