Gujarat Flogging: Men In Viral Video Are Local Cops, Say Police Sources

Ahmedabad:

The flogging of some Muslim men, accused of disrupting a Navratri Garba event in Gujarat’s Kheda earlier this week, was done by some local cops, sources have told NDTV.

The viral video clips showed three men being tied to poles and beaten with sticks – allegedly by the policemen dressed in plain clothes – in Undhela village of Kheda district, while a crowd of locals cheered the crackdown on the accused. 

The men were also seen apologising to the public with folded hands. NDTV cannot verify the authenticity of the videos. 

Amid huge outrage over the videos, state police chief Ashish Bhatia ordered an inquiry into the incident yesterday.

“I have ordered an inquiry. We will take disciplinary action depending upon the gravity of the charges,” Ashish Bhatia told NDTV. 

The panel investigating the incident will submit its report to the police over the next couple of days, sources said, adding that disciplinary action against the accused cops will be taken once the veracity of the videos is confirmed.

Several people, including women and a police official, were injured after some members of the Muslim community, in a bid to stop the Garba event, threw stones at the participants on Monday night, officials said.

“When garba started, people from the Muslim community gathered and tried to stop the event. When people did not stop, they resorted to stone pelting,” said VR Bajpai, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kheda district.

A case has been registered and thirteen people have been arrested so far, Mr Bajpai added.