Videotaped kicking man, SI promoted

CHANDIGARH: A few days after the video of a sub-inspector (SI) posted in the traffic wing went viral in which he is seen kicking a suspect, who reportedly deterred the police from discharging their duty, the UT Police Department gave him On Rank Promotion (ORP), though the inquiry against him is still pending.

Amit Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 16

A few days after the video of a sub-inspector (SI) posted in the traffic wing went viral in which he is seen kicking a suspect, who reportedly deterred the police from discharging their duty, the UT Police Department gave him On Rank Promotion (ORP), though the inquiry against him is still pending. He is now an inspector (ORP).

On April 11, a couple and a man were booked by the local police for allegedly manhandling SI Ranjit Singh of the traffic wing over wrong parking in Sector 34. Two of them — Ranjit Jha and Dilkush Jha — were arrested in the case, who later got bail from the court on April 13. Ranjit reportedly had an argument with the police for “wrongly challaning” a motorist.

An eyewitness had made a video of the incident that went viral in which the cop is seen kicking and manhandling one of the suspects. The SI is seen holding the suspect by his neck and manhandling him. The SI purportedly got annoyed after the suspect tried to take his photo, got down from the police vehicle and kicked him.

SSP (Traffic) Shashank Anand had marked an inquiry into the incident to the DSP (Traffic).

However, while the inquiry against the cop is still pending, his promotion to the rank of inspector has raised many an eyebrow.

DSP (PRO) Charanjit Singh said the SI had been promoted as per rules. “Since six months are left for his retirement, he has been given a promotion under the rules,” the DSP said.

The SSP (Traffic) said the inquiry into the incident was still going on and the opposite party had been requested to join the inquiry. The SSP said action would be taken against the cop in case of any proven lapse.

Suspect Ranjit Jha was today called to the DSP’s office in Traffic Lines, Sector 29. “I will go there again on Wednesday with a written statement,” Jha said.