Andhra Pradesh, Telangana police slam UP police action

Hyderabad: AP and TS IPS officers have condemned the act of their Uttar Pradesh counterparts who stripped a couple in broad daylight, on social media. The video, showing a couple being stripped nude in front of hundreds of onlookers in Noida, has gone viral on social media. Commenting on it, a disgusted officer said that financial empowerment of Dalits alone can help them with a long term solution, while another officer wondered how people could allow such acts in a civilised society.

Expressing his anger over the incident, Andhra Pradesh Cyber Crimes IGP P.V. Sunil Kumar posted on Facebook: “In addition to reservation in education and employment, Dalits should be given reservations in the commercial sector, where they can participate in tenders and execute contracts. This would help them play a major role in development.” The UP government, meanwhile, said that the couple had stripped themselves and the video was being used to malign the UP police.

Meanwhile, officers in the two Telugu states said that whoever the victims might be and whatever might have happened, it was not acceptable in civilised society. And people watching as spectators in the presence of cops in uniform spread the wrong message in society. “Though I am not exactly aware why it happened, it is a shock for me. I could not share the video due to its horrific content and people are enjoying the scene. Civilised society should not accept such things, even if it is a protest in whatsoever manner,” said R.S. Praveen Kumar, IGP and secretary, Social Welfare schools. “I hang my hand in shame. Today, I am not proud to be an Indian,” posted ADGP Technical Services, T. Krishna Prasad.

“Only one part of the video is circulated on social media. We registered an FIR against their complaint. But they wanted us to immediately arrest them. What they did disturbed the public and a complaint was lodged against the couple for creating a nuisance,” said Noida senior superintendent of police S. Kiran, while stating that the couple had stripped themselves and the cops had nothing to do with it.