Protest at SRMU: Four cops suspended for lathicharge on ABVP workers

Four police personnel were suspended for their roles in a lathicharge on ABVP workers during a protest at Shri Ram Swaroop Memorial University.

Four police personnel, including a sub-inspector, two head constables and a constable, were suspended on Thursday in connection with Monday’s lathicharge on Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers during a protest outside Shri Ram Swaroop Memorial University (SRMU) on Lucknow-Deva Road, Barabanki.

A cop said the four cops were clearly visible using batons on the ABVP workers in the video footage of the incident. (For Representation)

Those suspended included Gadiya police outpost incharge sub-inspector Gajendra Vikram Singh, two head constables Pawan Yadav and Saurabh Singh besides constable Vinod Yadav. The action came after inspector general of police, Ayodhya range, Praveen Kumar submitted an interim report of his probe into the lathicharge incident.

On Tuesday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had asked him to investigate the incident and submit the findings at the earliest while expressing displeasure over lathicharge on the ABVP workers. A senior police officer confirmed that the four cops were clearly visible using batons on the ABVP workers in the video footage of the incident.

He said the IG will further submit a supplementary report as some points are still under investigation. They include the roles of CO City Harshit Chauhan and inspector incharge RK Rana in the entire episode.