SI, constable suspended for beating youth; departmental enquiry ordered

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Feb 3: A Sub Inspector (SI) and a constable posted in Police Station Udhampur have been suspended for beating youth.
As per reports, a team of Municipal Council Udhampur initiated anti encroachment drive yesterday in Udhampur and adopted pick and choose policy.
Some youth objected to the drive, reached the Municipal Council Udhampur and apprised Vice President of the Council Surinder Singh Khalsa about the incident.
As Vice President failed to pacify the youth, he called police.
A team from Police Station Udhampur led by SI Vishal Dogra and assisted by constable Manvider Singh reached the spot and took two youth namely Aditya and Rohit Khajuria into custody.
Both the youth were taken to Police Station Udhampur, wherein they were manhandled and assaulted by the cops including SI Vishal Dogra. Rohit Khajuria managed to escape from the custody of the police, while Aditya was beaten mercilessly by the cops.
Later, Aditya was admitted in District Hospital Udhampur with multiple injuries and was undergoing treatment, when last reports came in.
As the news spread, hundreds of people and Ex-MLA Udhampur Pawan Gupta reached District Hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured youth, who was assaulted by the cops from Udhampur Police Station. Pawan Gupta also talked telephonically with the higher authorities of the Police Department seeking action against the cops involved in assaulting the youth.
After getting information, SSP Udhampur Rajive Pandey reached the spot and after taking cognizance of the matter ordered suspension of SI Vishal Dogra and constable Manvider Singh.
The suspended cops will remain present at DPL Udhampur to face department enquiry, which will be conducted by Additional SP Udhampur.
Meanwhile, a large number of youths assembled inside the Mini Stadium under the leadership of Rohit Khajuria and demanded criminal proceedings against SI Vishal Dogra viz appropriate action against the authorities of Municipal Council Udhampur, who called the police inside the premises of Council for undemocratic and unlawful action against the innocent youths.