Dehradun: Cop suspended for laughing at BJP-Congress fist fight
Ever got into trouble for laughing at inappropriate moments? Most of us have, as kids. Yet, now, a police officer from Dehradun has found himself in a spot for laughing at the wrong time. The officer, of sub-inspector rank, was suspended last week for laughing while BJP and Congress party workers swung blows at each other. Here are the details.
What sparked the brawl between the two parties
The incident took place on December 19, at the Congress headquarters on Dehradun's Rajpur Road. Minutes before Congress working committee member Kumari Shailja's press conference on the controversial Rafale deal, BJP workers in the city stormed the office in a bid to stop the conference. What ensued was chaos, as BJP and Congress workers were seen exchanging blows, slapping, and kicking each other.
Reportedly, over 200 party workers were fighting
Eyewitnesses told TOI that the brawl involved over 200 BJP and Congress workers and despite the seriousness of the fight, it looked like a scene out of a Bollywood flick. As the brawl raged on, city roads were left choked, and even a few pedestrians received minor injuries resultant from the clash. Meanwhile, many cops were seen trying their utmost to stop the fight.
SI Shanti Prasad couldn't help laughing at the juvenile brawl
Seeing workers from the two parties slapping and kicking each other in a juvenile fashion, sub-inspector Shanti Prasad from the Bindal police station couldn't help but laugh. When Prasad's actions were reported to police, SSP Nivedita Kukreti suspended the sub-inspector on grounds of "dereliction of duty". Kumar was suspended on Saturday, and it seems like he didn't get the last laugh after all.
Meanwhile, 30 people have been booked for the brawl
Following the brawl, police had booked 30 unidentified men under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC.
