Mukherjee Nagar fallout: Home Ministry seeks report, three cops booked for assault

Sources said initial findings of an inquiry conducted by the JCP (northern range) has found “negligence and unprofessional behaviour” on the part of some personnel.

A day after officers in Mukherjee Nagar clashed with a tempo driver who brandished a sword, injuring an assistant sub-inspector, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a report from the Delhi Police. Minister of State G Kishan Reddy said he had spoken to Delhi Police chief Amulya Patnaik and sought action after a BJP delegation called on him.

Sources said initial findings of an inquiry conducted by the JCP (northern range) has found “negligence and unprofessional behaviour” on the part of some personnel. The violence, caught on camera, broke out after the tempo bumped into a police van.

The video shows a police officer and the tempo driver, Sarabjeet Singh, talking as he brandishes a sword, after which the officer walks into the police station nearby. When Singh sees a group of officers holding lathis approaching him, he chases after them with the sword. When an ASI, in plainclothes, tries to control him from behind, Singh attacks him with the sword, following which officers rain lathis and blows on Singh to subdue him.

In the meantime, the tempo, allegedly being driven by his son, hits the officers, the video shows. Officers then subdue the son.

On Monday, police suspended three officers over the violence and filed an FIR against them for assault, DCP (PRO) Madhur Verma said.

An FIR was also filed against Singh and his son. “Both cases have been transferred to the Crime Branch,” Verma said, adding that eight personnel were injured.

ASI Yograj Sharma, the plainclothes officer who was attacked with the sword, told The Indian Express: “We came to know an ASI was out patrolling and a Gramin Sewa vehicle hit his van. He asked the tempo driver (Singh) to bring his vehicle to the station, but he started arguing and wielded his sword to intimidate him. I was at the station when he came and asked me to send some officers to apprehend a man. I, along with three others, came out, and grabbed Singh from behind. His son slapped me and Singh hit me on the head with the sword. He was very violent. After continuous efforts, we managed to catch hold of him and drag him to the station.”

Delhi Police chief Patnaik said, “We have a zero-tolerance policy towards unprofessional conduct or unnecessary excess, even while performing official duties or handling a crowd.”

On Sunday, around 500 people protested outside Mukherjee Nagar police station and demanded strict action against the officers. A video surfaced Monday which shows ACP (Shalimar Bagh) K G Tyagi being beaten up by protesters when he went to inform them about the suspension of three personnel.

A senior police officer said the footage is being looked into.

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