Six GRP Personnel Suspended in Madhya Pradesh Over Beating of Dalit Woman and Grandson
Image Source: Statetimes
Katni, Madhya Pradesh The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday suspended six Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel, including a station in charge, following the emergence of a video showing the beating of a woman and her grandson in Katni district. The suspension comes after a video of the incident was widely circulated on social media by the opposition Congress party, which claimed that the victims belong to the Dalit community.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav took swift action after the video went viral, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “An old video of GRP Katni police station cops is going viral on social media. After I took cognizance of it, I have asked DIG Rail to go to the spot to probe the incident. As per the preliminary probe, I have ordered the immediate suspension of the then GRP police station in-charge, a head constable, and four constables.”
The incident reportedly took place in October last year, according to Superintendent of Police (GRP) Simala Prasad. She explained that a man named Deepak Vanshkar, who had 19 cases registered against him and had been externed from the district, was involved. His family members, including the woman and her grandson seen in the video, had been called to the police station for questioning regarding his whereabouts.
“The video of the questioning went viral. Cases had also been registered against the woman and minor in Katni. All the police personnel visible in the video have been line-attached (taken off field duty),” SP Prasad said. She added that an investigation is underway to determine the reasons behind the mistreatment of the woman and her grandson and how the official footage of the incident became public.
Deputy Inspector General of Railways, Monica Shukla, arrived in Katni on Thursday to lead the investigation, according to sources.
The incident sparked outrage among opposition leaders, with Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari and media department chairman and former minister Mukesh Nayak planning to visit Katni to meet the victims. A party leader confirmed the visit, prompting authorities to beef up security in the town.
In a post on X, the Congress party criticized the state government and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for the incident, accusing the police department of “hooliganism.” The video shared by the Congress showed a woman in plain clothes, allegedly the in charge of the police station, beating a woman and a boy in a room. Later, other personnel in uniform were seen joining in.
“Chief Minister Mohan Yadavji, will you tell us what is happening in Madhya Pradesh? Under the pretext of maintaining law and order, your police department is indulging in hooliganism and is hell-bent on taking the lives of people,” the Congress said in their post.
Describing the incident as “shameful,” the opposition party questioned the authorities’ handling of the matter. “The cruelty with which the Katni Government Railway Police (GRP) station in charge beat up the 15-year-old boy and his grandmother from a Dalit family is agonizing. From where did they get so much courage to do so? Is it due to your negligence? Have you given them permission to indulge in such acts?” the Congress added.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are under pressure to address the concerns raised by both the opposition and the public.
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- News Writer
- Iram Aijaz is a student of Mass Communication at Aligarh Muslim University, one of India's renowned institutions. Having already completed her master's in History, she is now pursuing a second master's in Mass Communication, driven by a strong interest in writing about current issues. Iram is eager to apply for internships to sharpen her skills and gain valuable experience as she prepares for a career in this field.
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