The cop had shared the video with his colleagues and that's how it reached the media.
Highlights
- Video shows police personnel assaulting a woman
- She was being assaulted for alleged relationship with a Muslim man
- The cops seen in video have been suspended and investigation is underway
In a disturbing video from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, a woman is thrashed by a police constable while another asks her - why choose a Muslim man over Hindus? The woman looks far from safe and protected in a police van as she is beaten by the same policemen who had "rescued" her from a mob attack.
The four policemen seen attacking and abusing the woman in the video have been suspended and an investigation is on.
In the 29-second clip shot on mobile by the cop in the driver's seat, the woman is seen sitting between a woman constable and a male constable. Two policemen are sitting in the front.
"You prefer Muslims when there are so many Hindus around," taunts a policeman. At this point, the woman constable starts beating the young woman and removes the scarf she used to cover her face. The beating goes on and on throughout.
The cop shared the video with his colleagues, and it reached the media.
The incident took place on Sunday, when the woman and her Muslim friend, both medical students in their twenties, were targeted by a group of men, allegedly from the right-wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The men barged into the man's home, manhandled the pair and handed them over to the police.
The attackers accused the two of "love jihad", a term used by right wing groups to describe a relationship between a Hindu woman and a Muslim man.
The video was shot when the police were taking the couple to the police station in separate vehicles.
"The police had absolutely no business in doing what they did. That's why we have suspended them. We have initiated a probe and will take further action based on the findings of the report," said Kumar Ranvijay Singh, a senior police office in Meerut.
The harassment didn't stop even after they reached the police station. The men from the right-wing organisation surrounded the couple and abused them. Additional police force had to be called in to control the situation.
None of the men involved have been arrested.
"We were hoping we would get a written complaint from the couple. But we haven't," said Mr Singh.