Delhi Police team mistaken for child lifters in Bareilly, roughed up

SHO of Bhojipura police station, Manoj Tyagi, said the police team from Welcome police station in New Delhi comprising an inspector and two constables were targeted. “They were accompanied by a woman, the complainant in the dowry case, and her brother, who had long hair. Locals mistook them for child lifters. Delhi Police had not informed us about their visit, else one of us would have accompanied them,” said the SHO.

Tyagi said that once local police were informed, they rushed to the spot and spoke to locals. “We found the people had Delhi Police IDs. We convinced locals to let them go,” he said.

Delhi Police, however, claimed the team of three police officers from North East district were “in uniform and accompanied by a local police officer from Bhojipura police station in Bareilly”.

DCP (North East) Atul Kumar Thakur said, “On August 28, a team from the district went to Bareilly to investigate a dowry case. They were accompanied by a male relative of the complainant. Before they headed to the village, they got a DD entry done at the local police station and were assigned a constable.”

A police officer said at least 50-60 villagers gathered around the group and the “complainant’s relative was roughed up”. The villagers let them go after they were convinced they were policemen, the officer said. Delhi Police denied the UP police’s claim that the team had been manhandled.