New Delhi: The Delhi Police Friday suspended a sub-inspector rank officer for allegedly kicking people offering namaz on the road in the Inderlok area of Delhi’s North district earlier in the day.
ThePrint has learnt that the action was taken after Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Manoj Kumar Meena took cognisance of a video in which the police officer was purportedly seen kicking people from behind while they were in the process of offering namaz, which went viral on microblogging site X.
The incident led to a charged atmosphere near the mosque in the Inderlok area as local residents gathered in large numbers and protested, seeking strong action against the officer.
DCP Meena said that people who gathered were persuaded that the police administration had already taken action against the officer, after which they left the area.
He further said that a suspension order was issued against the officer and disciplinary action had been initiated.
The viral video was also shared on X by the Delhi Congress.
बेहद शर्मनाक!
सड़क पर नमाज़ अदा करते नमाज़ियों को @DelhiPolice का जवान लात से मार रहा है।
इससे ज्यादा शर्म की बात और क्या हो सकती है?@LtGovDelhi pic.twitter.com/8ksWzOfp0P— Delhi Congress (@INCDelhi) March 8, 2024
Sources in the Delhi Police told ThePrint that multiple people were sitting on the road to offer Friday prayers despite there being enough space in the Makki Jama Masjid or ‘badi masjid’ as it is known locally, leading to traffic congestion.
“Looking at the rush developing uncontrolled, the police post in-charge lost his cool and did what he should not have done. It was wrong conduct on his part and hence he has been suspended,” a Delhi Police officer told ThePrint.
Another officer explained that as part of the disciplinary process, first an assistant commissioner of police would visit the spot and take statements from all individuals including other police officers present, and then a preliminary report would be submitted to the in-charge DCP.
“Based on the preliminary report, the DCP would appoint an enquiry officer to look into the case and then the officer in question would be asked to explain as to why he did what he did,” the officer told ThePrint. “The process resembles a trial and is a long one where the officer suspended would bring witnesses to explain his reasoning.”
Another officer said that district police officers quickly sprang into action and called companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to quell any untoward incidents in the area, but things calmed down after assurance by senior officers and an announcement from the mosque.
“We had called upon RAF and additional forces but things calmed down. However, they will remain deployed in the area till the time officers are not convinced that the law and order situation is not under any threat,” the officer added.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: India’s Muslim politics is in flux. The once-important ulema are now on the margins of this churning
How would this be viewed in Gulf countries where nine million Indian guest workers earn their daily bread.