Cops Pulled Up For Hitting COVID-19 Patient's Relatives In Madhya Pradesh

Two policemen were "line attached" as punishment in Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly beating up some villagers on Sunday after a dispute between health workers and the relatives of a COVID-19 patient, an official said.

A video of the incident, in which police can be seen hitting a man and two women with plastic pipes, went viral on social media soon after.

A police team had reached Sirsod Banjari village under Chhaigaon Makhan police station limits after a dispute between the relative of a 20-year-old COVID-19 patient and health workers who had come to take him to a hospital, said the official.

"After the health workers complained about being attacked by the patient's family, a police team arrived at the village. They too were attacked and a sub inspector and an assistant sub inspector got injured along with two health workers," said Chhaigaon Makhan police station in charge G Kanail.

Health officials said the man was tested for coronavirus on Friday and his report returned positive on Sunday, after which a team went to the village to get him to a hospital, but his relatives insisted that he be home quarantined, which started the altercation.

After the medical team was attacked, a police complaint was filed, said health worker Purva Kushwaha.

"The Chhaigaon Makhan police station in charge and a constable were ''line attached'' (taken off field duty and deployed in police line as punishment) in connection with this incident," said Khandwa Superintendent of Police Vivek Singh.

City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Lalit Gathre will carry out a probe into the matter, Mr Singh added.

Meanwhile, senior MP Congress leader Arun Yadav demanded the erring policemen be booked.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)