Mistaken identity proves costly, boy gets thrashed

LUCKNOW: Mistaking a student as a criminal can be understood keeping in mind the pressure most of the cops in the state capital face. However, beating the boy without even verifying his credentials and taking him to the police outpost and again beating him is beyond anyone's understanding.
This exactly was done by two cops of Ghazipur police station on Thursday afternoon.
Though finally forgiven by the 'large-hearted' boy after they were summoned and reprimanded for their behaviour by SP (trans-gomti) Nitin Tiwari, the case has once again raised a bigger question as to when the cops would actually put a check on their erratic behaviour even when senior officials claim of making the force a 'friendly' police.
At around 12.30 pm, Uphaar Saxena along with his friends Lalit Rastogi, Avinash Dubey, Farhan Gani and Udai Shukla, decided to withdraw some money from Ismailganj ATM counter.
All of them are second year student of IT branch at SIMT institute on Deva Road. Uphaar wanted to withdraw money and he went to the ATM.
However, as he was returning, two cops identified as Anand Patel and Sunil Kumar Malviya intercepted the boy.
Assuming him to be a wanted miscreant who had probably at least twice stolen Rs 20,000 each from the said ATM, the two cops without much of provocation slapped him four to five times.
Not happy with that, the cops then took Uphaar to the Ismailganj police outpost. The cops again beat him up at the police outpost, Uphaar claimed and added that all this was done even when he showed his identity card and told him that he was a student at the nearby institute, which could be cross checked before actually going after him.
But, the cops were unrelenting in their behaviour. "However, after the outpost incharge was convinced that the I was not the miscreant wanted by Ghazipur police, he asked me to leave," Uphaar said.
The boy then met mediapersons and narrated his tale of woes. Later, he narrated the incident before the SP (TG) who summoned the two cops. However, the boy probably decided to forgive the two cops.
The SP (TG) later talking to TOI denied that the boys were actually beaten and said that Uphaar got upset, since the cops laughed at his personal belongings (a letter).
He said an inquiry has been ordered, which would be conducted by circle officer, Gomtinagar and action would be taken against the cops after the report is received in this regard.