Lawbreaker? IPS official thrashes liquor trader in Bihar

Patna: Days after a liquor trader was assaulted, Superintendent of Police of Bihar’s Sheikpura district Babu Ram has been removed and policemen of Barbigha police station transferred. The action on the policemen was taken following instruction from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to the Director General of Police Abhayanand at a meeting at which principal secretary (home) Amir Subhani was also present, a statement said today.[caption id=“attachment_604379” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Brutal law keepers? Reuters[/caption] A high-level inquiry by a joint team of a secretary level officer in the home department and a police official in the rank of ADG was also ordered into the assault on the liquor trader allegedly at the residence-cum-office of the SP on 25 January. The inquiry followed the statement by the victim at the Patna Medical College Hospital. The report would be submitted on Tuesday based on which suitable action would be taken. The chief minister also directed the officials to lodge an FIR on the basis of the statement of the victim. RJD president Lalu Prasad and party MP Ram Kripal Yadav visited the PMCH on Sunday night and met the victim. They criticised the state government and said it reflected a poor law and order situation. The Sheikhpura incident came close on the heels of the removal of Saran range DIG for demanding Rs 10 crore as extortion from a liquor trader. PTI