Cop crushes vegetables with jeep in UP market; Suspended

Lucknow, June 06: A Police Sub Inspector (SI), Sumit Anand has been on Thursday suspended and departmental action has been initiated against him after he crushed vegetables of sellers with his jeep at a bi-weekly market in Ghoorpur area of Prayagraj.

Anand has been suspended after a video showing a police jeep crushing vegetables laid on the ground in a rural market went viral on social media.

The SI was transferred out of the Prayagraj district and departmental action has also been initiated against him, according to the report.

The incident took place in Ghoorpur area at a bi-weekly market after the vegetable sellers reportedly did not leave the spot despite being directed by the police to do so.

Prayagraj SSP Satyarth Anirudh Pankaj on Friday said that police officers have assessed the loss and the sellers are reimbursed.

Pankaj said, "The market was scheduled to be held on Wednesdays and Fridays. When it was held on Thursday, he asked sellers to leave. But when he felt they aren't listening and hooting instead, he did this. Our officer assessed the loss of the sellers, they are being reimbursed."

According to reports, the orders of suspension of the SI and make him compensate for the losses came from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself.

Uttar Pradesh Government has allowed weekly markets in rural areas and bans it in urban areas in its latest coronavirus lockdown guidelines.