Delhi health official assaulted by cops: SDMC files complaint with Noida police

The alleged incident took place on June 19 around 6.30pm at DND when Dr Saurabh Mishra, a deputy health officer (DHO) with the West zone of SDMC was on his way home to Sector 137 in Noida.

Officials of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) have filed a complaint with the Noida commissioner of police and the district magistrate regarding the assault of a Delhi health department official at the Delhi-Noida-Direct flyway (DND) border allegedly by two Noida policemen.

According to the Uttar Pradesh government rules, vehicles from Delhi can only enter Noida—which had sealed its border with the national capital in April— with a valid identity card and the pass issued by the Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate. (Sunil Ghosh/HT file photo)

The alleged incident took place on June 19 around 6.30pm at DND when Dr Saurabh Mishra, a deputy health officer (DHO) with the West zone of SDMC was on his way home to Sector 137 in Noida. Despite having the requisite permission, his driver was allegedly stopped by a police head constable at the DND border, while Mishra was asleep in the back seat of his vehicle, his family had said. His family had alleged that the constable had misbehaved with him, while a police sub-inspector (SI) had manhandled him. Following the incident, the DHO filed a complaint with Noida police against the two cops.

“It has been so many days and no action has been taken against the responsible parties,” said Namrata Narayan, Mishra’s wife on Thursday.

Deputy commissioner of SDMC, Shirish Sharma, on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Noida police commissioner. “We have also written to the Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate to look into the matter and take appropriate action,” said Sharma.

In the letter, the deputy commissioner said according to the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) guidelines all restrictions on inter-state movement were lifted starting May 30. However, despite the guidelines, the DHO —who was returning home in Noida after performing his day’s work—was stopped at the border, asked to produce his ID card and duty pass, which is a clear violation of the MHA order, the letter alleged. The SDMC deputy commissioner demanded that due action should be taken to avoid the recurrence of such an incident.

However, according to the Uttar Pradesh government rules, vehicles from Delhi can only enter Noida—which had sealed its border with the national capital in April— with a valid identity card and the pass issued by the Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate.

When contacted, district magistrate Suhas LY said the city police were looking into the matter.

The Noida police said a departmental inquiry in the case is already underway. “A probe in the matter is on and we will have a resolution soon,” said deputy commissioner of police (DCP), zone 1, Sankalp Sharma.

Police officers also said they have spoken to Mishra’s family as well. “The sub-inspector has conveyed his apology to the family. We will try to resolve this unfortunate incident amicably. The SI in question had been posted at the border since day one of the border sealing and lost his cool when he heard the doctor and head constable arguing. The case will be resolved soon,” said additional DCP, zone 1, Kumar Ranvijay Singh.

According to a police officer, who did not wish to be named, said the head constable asked the DHO’s driver for a pass who was not carrying it himself, but the DHO, who was sleeping on the backseat of the car, had the pass on him. The constable asked the driver to take a U-turn to Delhi as he was not carrying the pass. When the health officer was woken up, he produced the pass and allegedly pushed the constable two to three times. A scuffle ensued between the two following which the SI lost his cool and allegedly slapped the DHO, said the police officer.