Panipat cop suspended, patrol driver sacked for 'demanding' money at naka

Superintendent of Police Bhupender Singh on Saturday terminated the service of a driver on the emergency response vehicle (ERV) DIAL-112 and suspended a sub-inspector (SI) in-charge after a video went viral on social media for demanding money from the truck drivers at Sanoli naka.

Advertisement

The SP ordered a departmental inquiry against the SI and sent him to the police lines. The inquiry has been handed over to DSP (City) Rajbir Singh.

The videos in which police personnel were reportedly taking money were recorded by cow vigilantes in the night time. Cow vigilantes Deepak and Manthan Sharma said they were on the Panipat-Haridwar national highway near Sanoli following a tipoff that cows were being taken to Uttar Pradesh due to Eid festival.

They stopped some vehicles near the toll plaza and found buffaloes filled in three canters. The drivers failed to show any valid documents and disclosed that they brought these cattle from Hisar and reached there after allegedly giving money to the police on the way.

After that they made a plan to a sting operation of the said police personnel. The cow vigilantes sat in canters and moved towards the Haryana-UP border.

In the videos, it was purportedly shown that When they reached a naka near the Sanoli police station, a police vehicle was found there which allegedly took Rs 300 per vehicle. After crossing the toll plaza, they again found a DIAL 112 vehicle and they also allegedly demanded Rs 300 per vehicle.

In the video, it can also be seen that when the drivers refused to give money, the police personnel threatened to fabricate them in a false case. The deal was finally struck for Rs 100 per vehicle to enter UP.

Following the incident, SP Singh immediately terminated the services of driver Hira Singh, employed through Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN), and suspended SI Sube Singh and sent him to the police lines. The SP warned the police officials of strict action if anyone was found involved in any corrupt practice.