NEW DELHI: A sub-inspector was suspended for allegedly kicking members of a congregation offering namaz in north Delhi's Inderlok on Friday.
The cop, identified as Manoj Tomar, is in-charge of the Inderlok police post. A purported video of the incident was widely shared on social media, sparking outrage. The video shows a group of people performing namaz on a busy road. Tomar is seen pushing them and asking them to move, then kicking and hitting two-three people.
The person recording the video can be heard saying they were in "sajda" - a position of prostration - when the officer kicked them. The crowd then surrounds the cop, and some are heard saying, "beat him, beat him". The sub-inspector is also pushed.
People were asked to move their prayers inside mosque: PoliceDeputy commissioner of police (North) Manoj Meena said action has been taken against Tomar. "He has been placed under suspension with immediate effect and we are taking disciplinary action against him. The situation has been normalised and we, along with locals, have asked people to maintain law and order in the area," he said.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of a mosque. Following the incident, a crowd surrounded the Inderlok police post and blocked the road in protest. In another video shared on social media, several people can be seen assembled near Inderlok metro station. Condemning Friday's incident on his official X handle, DCP (Northeast) Delhi Joy Tirkey urged people to maintain communal harmony. Police said security in the area has been beefed up to ensure no untoward incident takes place and patrolling in other districts, especially ones that are communally-sensitive, has been increased. According to a senior officer, last Friday, some people wanted to install a tent at the spot for namaz, which was not allowed by cops.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani wrote a letter to the Union home minister, stating such incidents "not only deepen a significant trust deficit, but also tarnish the country's global reputation". He emphasised the “lasting psychological impact on the Muslim community when law enforcement becomes the perpetrator”.
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