Uttarakhand police to investigate Muslim man’s allegations of abuse against constables

Rashid Khan said two drunk police constables hurled religious slurs at him on August 15 when he was transporting poultry to Bageshwar in his vehicle.

Published on: Aug 30, 2018, 14:19:56 IST

Hindustan Times, Nainital | By Neeraj Santoshi

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Police in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district said on Thursday they will probe a Muslim man’s allegations that he was abused and beaten up by two drunk constables on August 15 and investigate the authenticity of the incident’s video, which is being widely shared on social media.

Nainital’s senior superintendent of police said he has sought a detailed report from the station house officer of Bhowali. (HT File Photo)

Nainital’s senior superintendent of police Janmejay Khanduri said after he got the information about the alleged incident, he sought a detailed report from the station house officer of Bhowali.

“I have got the report from SHO Bhowali and line attached both the cops till we complete a thorough investigation into the matter. We will look into the authenticity of the video, question Rashid Khan and investigate the allegations he has made in the video,” he said.

Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Khan confirmed he had made the video and uploaded it on social media after the police failed to take any action on the written complaint he had sent by post on August 17.

Khan said he was stopped by two drunk police constables at Bhowali in Nainital district on August 15 when he was transporting poultry to Bageshwar in his vehicle. He alleged they hurled religious slurs at him and demanded eight hens for free.

“I told them to talk to my boss on the phone. They also sought my identification card. They were annoyed and started beating me for two minutes. They called me a terrorist, a Pakistani and a Muslim in a derogatory manner,” he said.

Khan said he was in a depression and feeling suicidal after the incident. “I am an Indian and a resident of Uttarakhand. I want justice. And this why I have made this video. I am in pain and greatly hurt.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More