7 booked for beating up SPO, suspecting him of ‘spreading Covid-19’

According to the police, the victim is a resident of Nuh in Haryana who recently retired from the army and became an SPO. The incident took place on Monday when he was going towards Danibas village on his motorcycle for some personal work.

Seven people were booked after they allegedly assaulted a special police officer (SPO) and tried to strangulate him with a rope during an altercation, the police said on Saturday. In the complaint, the SPO’s wife alleged that the people suspected him of “spreading the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)” and attacked him. However, the police refused to confirm the claim and said they are investigating the matter.

The victim’s wife alleged that her husband was spotted by the village sarpanch who asked others to not let him go and hurled casteist slurs against him. (HT File Photo)

According to the police, the victim was identified by his first name, Saimuddin. He is a resident of Nuh and recently retired from the army and became an SPO. The incident took place on Monday when he was going towards Danibas village on his motorcycle for some personal work.

In the police complaint, the victim’s wife alleged that as he neared Sangel village, he saw that the road was blocked by the residents with barbed wire. He then saw a narrow path through which pedestrians and motorcyclists could pass.

The complainant further alleged that her husband was spotted by the sarpanch of Sangel village who was standing near the barbed wire. “The sarpanch called out to other residents to catch him (the victim) and not let him go. He then used casteist slurs against him and said that my husband was spreading Covid-19,” she added. Subsequently, the men allegedly began assaulting the victim and one of them tried to strangulate him with a rope.

“They tried to kill my husband. He later fainted and was thrown inside a four-walled water chamber,” the complainant alleged. She added that her father-in-law received a call from someone who alerted him regarding the incident. The victim was then taken to a government hospital in Nuh and later referred to Artemis Hospital in Gurugram. The police said that he was discharged from the hospital on Friday.

Vishal Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Nuh police station, said that they are yet to find the motive behind the incident. “We have registered the case and the men are yet to be arrested,” he added.

A case was registered against the men under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering human life), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Nuh police station.