Two railway cops suspended for thrashing journalist in Uttar Pradesh

Prashant Kanojia after his release

Lucknow: Two railway policemen were suspended for allegedly thrashing a television journalist after an argument with him when he was covering the derailment of a goods train in Shamli, officials said on Wednesday. Journalist Amit Sharma also alleged that "they forced me to take my clothes off and urinated on me."

However, this charge has been denied by the Government Railway Police (GRP). Director General of Uttar Pradesh Police OP Singh ordered that Rakesh Kumar, the GRP's Shamli Station House Officer, and constable Sanjay Pawar be suspended, the state police tweeted Wednesday morning. A senior UP government official, quoting Shamli Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar Pandey, said the action was taken after the two GRP personnel thrashed Sharma. In a purported video of the incident which went viral on social media late last night, the accused GRP personnel, dressed in plain clothes, can be seen repeatedly slapping and punching Sharma. Subsequently, the GRP personnel detained him.

"The incident took place when the journalist had gone to cover the derailment of a few bogies of a goods trains in Shamli. There was a heated exchange of words among them and hurling of abuses," said Ram Lakhan Mishra, the Circle Officer, GRP, Saharanpur. A senior GRP official said the journalist was released around 7 am Wednesday. The Uttar Pradesh police tweeted, "We have come across a video where a journalist has been beaten up & put up in a lock up. DGP UP OP Singh has ordered for immediate suspension of SHO GRP Shamli Rakesh Kumar and Const. Sanjay Pawar. Strict punishment shall be accorded to policemen misbehaving with citizens."

Amit Sharma, the journalist, later released a video in which he says, "GRP and railway officials were at the spot when I had gone for the coverage. The GRP personnel along with other cops beat me up. The mobile phone, which I used for shooting the news clip was hit and is missing. They also hurled abuses at me." Sharma added, "I was put in a lock up. They forced me to take off my clothes, and then they urinated on me." However, Ram Lakhan Mishra denied the allegations levelled by the journalist.

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