Video of Uttar Pradesh police officer abusing, hitting Muslim woman with stick goes viral; probe ordered

A video showing a Uttar Pradesh police personnel abusing and beating a burqa-clad woman with a stick has gone viral. The video, shared by CNN News18, reportedly dates back to early October and shows a Saharanpur DSP, who has since retired, torturing the Muslim woman. In the video, DSP Ashok Dixit, can be heard hurling abuses at the woman while he beats her with a stick.

फिर शर्मसार हुई @Uppolice. deputy SP level officer caught on camera humiliating and beating a Burqa clad woman. Incident occurred in Saharanpur in early October. accused officer retired on 30th Oct. @dgpup @UPGovt efforts for a image makeover take a hit. Enquiry ordered. pic.twitter.com/ttdiQR5EO4

— Pranshu Mishra (@pranshumisraa) November 3, 2018

In the video, the senior police officer can be heard asking the woman and her companion about the type of relationship they have. He says that “agar rishte hain, to ghar jaao… koi dikkat nahin hai” (if they have a legal relationship, they can leave). He then says to the man: “Tere gande rishte hain? (do you have a physical relationship with the woman)?” The DSP then starts beating the woman even as he accuses the couple of lying to him about their relationship. “Ye mujhse keh rahi ma*****d, ki unhone kya bataya ki main kya hoon” (She is asking me that what the man (accompanying the woman) has told me (Dixit) about how she is related to him), Dixit says as he continues abusing and thrashing the couple. According to the report, the policeman in question retired on 30 October and an enquiry has been initiated in the matter pertaining to the incident. This, however is not the first such incident when UP cops have behaved badly towards couples. Earlier, a video had surfaced on social media and gone viral as it showed Meerut police personnel abusing and slapping a young girl for allegedly having a Muslim partner. In that video, a male police officer is seen abusing the girl for choosing a partner from another religion while a woman constable seated with her at the back, slaps her repeatedly. Later, the three policemen and the woman constable, who were seen in the video, were suspended.