A police official in Ambedkar Nagar has been suspended because he was given a ‘royal’ farewell by his colleagues after his transfer.
Manoj Singh was posted as the Station House Officer (SHO) in Baskhari police station. He was transferred on Wednesday, allegedly on a complaint by a local BJP MLA.
Thereafter, Singh was given a farewell by his colleagues who led a procession a cavalcade of five police bikes and three police jeeps that escorted him.
As the video of the farewell went viral on the social media on Thursday, Ambedkar Nagar SP Alok Priyadarshi suspended Singh for violating restrictions of social distancing and also initiated a probe into the entire incident.
The 39-second video shows the SHO is being given a royal farewell and policemen in uniform are a part of the procession. The jeeps are heard blowing horns and siren in the procession.
Terming the SHO’s transfer from Baskhari to Zaidpur as ‘routine’, the SP said, “In the video that was widely shared on social media platforms, none of policemen could be seen wearing a face-mask. Also, they are not observing proper social distancing. It has also come to our notice that the convoy also disturbed the movement of vehicles on the main road.”
A FIR under the charges of lockdown violation has been registered against Singh and other unidentified policemen, the officer added.
The others in the procession are being identified and will also face action, the SP said.