The BJP workers allegedly argued with Shreshtha Thakur, a senior police officer, and harassed her.
Highlights
- Shreshtha Thakur took on angry BJP workers in Bulandshahr
- She will be transferred to Bahraich
- She is among the 234 officers transferred by the UP government
Senior police officer Shreshtha Thakur -- who stood up to bullying by a group of BJP workers in Bulandshahr last week and sent five of them to jail -- is among 234 officers who have been transferred by the Yogi Adityanath government. The officer, who was part of the Syana circle, will be transferred to Bahraich. Reports say the transfer came after the insistence of local BJP leaders, who said it was necessary to lift the morale of the party workers.
"We had complained to the high command about this. We told our senior leaders that the officer does not know how to deal with the public," said Himanshu Mittal, the city president of the BJP in Bulandshahr. "I think the differences between the officer and the public were beyond any compromise and so it is good for everyone that she has been transferred, including the officer".
"I cannot say if my transfer is routine or political, but the fact is that none of my batchmates have been transferred," Ms Thakur told NDTV. The officer said she has been posted in Bulandshahr only for 8 months. "I have been transferred far away from home. My family lives in Delhi, but that's okay, it's my job," she added.
Ms Thakur had stood up to the arguing, slogan-shouting men after a local party worker, Pramod Lodhi, was fined for not carrying necessary documents while driving a motorbike. When he misbehaved with the police personnel, he was arrested. Later, five others who were allegedly obstructing officers from doing their job were arrested as well.
"You please go and get written orders from the Chief Minister that the police have no right to check vehicles... that we can't do our job," Ms Thakur is heard saying in the video. "Hum raat mein parivar ko chhor ke duty karte hain, maze lene ke liye nahi (we leave our families at home at night not to have fun but to do our job)" .
The officer was also heard accusing the BJP workers of "bringing a bad name to your party". "People will soon start saying that you are BJP's goondas," she said.
The BJP workers had alleged that one of the policemen had asked for a Rs 2000 bribe.