Coronavirus pandemic | Cobra commando chained for violating lockdown in Karnataka, CRPF probing matter

After the picture of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper in chains went viral on social media, the top officers of the security force took up the matter with the Karnataka Police.

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M Dhinakaran, DIG, official spokesperson, CRPF, has said: “We have taken up the case with the State Police Chief of Karnataka. Tuesday his bail plea case is coming before the court.” He added that an investigation would be carried out to reach a “logical conclusion” in the case, reported the Hindustan Times.

CRPF Cobra commando Sachin Sunil Sawant was allegedly chained by policemen Belagavi police station. The incident took place at Yaksamba village of Belgavi district, Karnataka on April 23, reported News18.

Coronavirus pandemic | Police find unique ways to punish lockdown violators

The social media post that shed light on the matter first, claimed that the CRPF commando was washing his bike outside his home when the local police pulled him up for not wearing a mask and staying outdoors amid the nationwide coronavirus-induced lockdown. It further mentions that the trooper was beaten, and his clothes torn by the police despite him informing them that he is a CRPF commando. Sawant was allegedly also handcuffed and paraded barefoot on the streets before being locked up.

I hope this is not what we call a citizen-centric policing and perhaps it's too much demeaning a behaviour with a uniformed personnel, I hope competent authorities will take suitable action to rectify the wrong which has been committed@DgpKarnataka @crpfindia @CoBRASECTORHQ pic.twitter.com/5ZoQAOIjbY

— Mithanshu Chaudhary (@MITHANSHU) April 26, 2020

Meanwhile, police have claimed that Sawant was roaming the streets without any protective gear, which has already been deemed necessary to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus disease in the country. The CRPF commando had allegedly resorted to cussing and abusing upon being interrogated by the police, following which he was arrested and sent to judicial custody.

Commenting on this, Laxman Nimbargi, SP, Belagavi, said: “An argument started regarding central police versus state police. The CRPF jawan then held the collar of our constable and started kicking him, the head constable then had to rescue his colleague, that's when you see him using the lathi, based on which the FIR was registered.”

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