Eleven police personnel posted in Police Response Vehicles (PRVs) in Kanpur have been suspended after being found guilty in a preliminary inquiry related to the assault and extortion of cattle traders from Aligarh. The incident occurred on Saturday near Barra Highway, where the traders were allegedly beaten and robbed of '10,000 by police officers after refusing to pay a demanded bribe.
According to the complaint, Mohammed Uzair, a cattle trader, and his driver Laxman alias Lucky were stopped by PRV 7058 of Chakeri Police at the Barra Cut flyover. Two additional PRVs from Hanumant Vihar Police Station (7055 and 6504) soon arrived at the spot. The traders were told they needed to pay `500 per officer to proceed. When they refused, the officers allegedly dragged them from the vehicle and began beating them. Laxman reported that a baton was struck directly on his eye, and `10,000 kept in the vehicle was taken by the police personnel.
The victims later released a video detailing the assault, prompting immediate action from the Commissioner. An investigation led by ADCP South Yogesh Kumar confirmed the involvement of all eleven officers.
The PRV vehicles were found to have left their designated patrol areas without any official call or incident prompting such action.
Their GPS locations were traced to the scene, and disciplinary action followed based on these findings. The officers involved include head constables and constables from Chakeri and Hanumant Vihar police stations.
Among those suspended are Atul Sachan, Rishirajan, Hariom Singh, Rinki Rani, Ajay Kumar Yadav, Anand Kumar, Umashankar Dixit, Pradeep Kumar, Ameer Hasan, Sonu Yadav, and Aradhana.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism, raising questions about roadside policing practices and the misuse of power by officers.
