MP Police on symbolic protest against transfer of 2 policemen, Kamal Nath lends support

Bhopal: Former Chief Minister and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Saturday extended his support to a symbolic protest of the state's police over the transfer of an IPS officer and a police station in-charge for lathi-charge on the Bajrang Dal activists in Indore last week.

Several Police officers posted in Indore have updated their social media status with a similar tagline - "Khaki ka bhi to maan hai na" (the khaki also owes respect). Sources in the police told media that a resentment has emerged among the police department over the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government's alleged biased action on this matter.

After the incident, the BJP government ordered an ADG-level inquiry into alleged violation of protocol, and a senior IPS officer along with in-charge of the particular police station were transferred.

The cops took it as a setback to the police and have launched a symbolic protest through their social media accounts.

Responding to the matter, Kamal Nath on Saturday said, "This is a very unfortunate incident. Our police deserve respect, and the police department itself should respect its uniform. They (police) serve to protect the rights of the people and the Constitution of India."

Notably, on June 15, scores of Bajrang Dal activists had gone to Palasia police station in Indore to stage a protest against 'night culture and drug abuse'.

During the protest, a scuffle broke out between the police and the protesters, following which, the police had lathi-charged the right wing members to disperse them and to control the situation.

Several members of Bajrang Dal were arrested after the incident but were released the very next day after the issue was politicised.

On June 16, DCP Dharmendra Bhadoria, a 2010- batch IPS officer, was transferred and Palasia police station in-charge Sanjay Bais was shunted to the police line.