A Delhi Police constable, who was posted to outer Delhi's Samaypur Badli police station, has been suspended and arrested for assaulting a Delhi Fire Services official on Thursday while the latter was on duty. The fire services official had asked the policeman to not go in a particular direction as they were dousing fire there.
Residents of the area, however, caught the incident on camera and circulated the video widely on social media.
HT could not independently confirm the authenticity of the video, but Delhi Police officers said they identified the policeman as Jitendra (identified in records by his single name) was identified through the video and suspended.
'Jitendra has been booked under Delhi Fire Services Act and other relevant sections. He was sent on leave for three days and
departmental action has been ordered against him,' said a senior police officer. 'The fire had been doused and the cooling operation was ongoing, which resumed after the incident,' added the official.
According to police, Jitendra was riding a vehicle on the wrong side of the road in Samaypur Badli, and was asked to stop by a fire services official.
This enraged the policeman, who grabbed a stick to beat the fire official. The video showed him assaulting the official. It also showed a traffic jam due to the policeman driving in the wrong direction.
Police said that the fireman was injured on the arms. He was rescued by a few locals and his fellow firemen.
A complaint was registered by the victim at Samaypur Badli police station after he received medical treatment.