Five UP cops suspended after brawl over 'affair'

Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), Sep 7 (IANS) Five police personnel have been suspended after two constables were involved in a brawl over an affair with a female colleague.

Five policemen, including the constable, Yogesh Chahal, an inspector (crime), and the SHO, were suspended by SSP Satyarth Aniruddha Pankaj for 'indiscipline' and attached to Police Lines.

An internal probe has also been ordered.

According to reports, two constables, both in their mid-20s, got caught up in a heated argument over one's affair with a female colleague at the Bahedi police station.

Things soon turned ugly after one of them, Monu Kumar, picked up a service revolver and fired inside the station. The bullet did not hit anyone and struck the floor.

The SSP said, "If a policeman is involved in an affair with a colleague, it is his personal matter. There is nothing objectionable or unlawful about it. Action has been taken only for negligence and on disciplinary grounds."

Kumar hails from Baghpat district of west Uttar Pradesh and was posted at the Baheri police station in December 2019. A woman constable from his neighbouring district of Muzaffarnagar joined the same police station earlier this year in January.

Monu Kumar and the woman constable knew each other for a long time. They had been in a relationship for the past year, since before she got posted at the Baheri station. Another constable Yogesh Chahal passed snide comments about their relationship which  led to the brawl.

Among those suspended was Manoj Kumar, in-charge of the armoury at the police station since Monu Kumar picked up the loaded pistol from there and put it back after firing.