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Probe ordered after video of Guwahati police officials partying during curfew surfaces
Guwahati, Assam’s and the north-east region’s biggest and most-populous city, falls under the Kamrup Metro district.
Assam chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna has ordered an inquiry into an alleged violation of the prevailing 14-day lockdown norms, which have been enforced in the populous Kamrup Metro district from July 28 to July 12 because of a sudden spike in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases, as some police officials in Guwahati can be seen partying in a video during curfew hours between 7 pm and 7 am on a boat on the Brahmaputra river.
Guwahati, Assam’s and the north-east region’s biggest and most-populous city, falls under the Kamrup Metro district.
In a letter addressed to MP Gupta, commissioner of police, Guwahati, Krishna cited a newspaper report on the video, which had depicted some police officers allegedly partying on a boat on the Brahmaputra on Monday flouting night curfew restrictions.
Terming the report as “very damaging” Krishna said, “This reflects very poorly on the policemen and displays a total disregard to orders under the Disaster Management Act, 2005”.
“You are directed to enquire into the matter, submit a report and initiate disciplinary proceedings with intimation to the undersigned,” the letter to Gupta read.
Krishna asked the Guwahati top cop to ensure that police personnel under his command are directed to scrupulously follow government orders and “not display action, which is detrimental to the rule of law”.
It was alleged in the news report that several officers, including women officials and some family members of police officials, attended the party where alcoholic beverages were served on a boat.
A curfew has also been imposed in Assam between 7 pm and 7 am along with the ongoing 14-day lockdown restrictions in Kamrup Metro district. “We have started an inquiry into the alleged incident and the report should come within the next couple of days. If anyone is found violating lockdown guidelines, strict action will be taken as per rules,” Gupta said.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s office issued a statement on Wednesday that said the police officers, who took part in the revelry on Monday night, have been transferred from their present posts to other locations.
More details are awaited.
Around 4,500 Covid-19 positive cases have been detected in the Kamrup Metro district over the last fortnight, which is nearly one-third of the total 13,336 cases in the state until Tuesday.
