Police beat up COVID patient, kin in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh

Published : Apr 12, 2021 17:26 IST

A screengrab from the viral video showing the police assault.

A screengrab from the viral video showing the police assault.

Police brutality is once again in the news in Madhya Pradesh. Only four days after two policemen were seen beating up an autorickshaw driver for not wearing a mask properly in Indore, the State police has now caused outrage by assaulting the family members of a COVID-19 patient at Banjari village of Khandwa district. The videos of the latest assault surfaced on social media on April 12 in the afternoon.

At Banjari village, a 20-year-old youth had tested positive on Sunday, after which a health department team went to his house to check his health status and place him under institutional quarantine if needed.

Soon, a video went viral showing policemen assaulting the patient and his family members, including women.  

According to Vivek Singh, Superintendent of Police of Khandwa district, a team comprising a woman doctor and a nurse had gone to the patient’s home, where they were allegedly attacked by the patient’s family. Apparently, the medical team was not only attacked but also held captive at the patient’s house.

According to the police, a team of policemen from the local Chegaon Makhan police station reached the spot on being informed about the attack. Vivek Singh said: “The patient’s family resisted and started abusing and assaulting the police team, after which the policemen used force against the family.”

The patient’s family, however, rejected the police version and said that the assault was unprovoked. They alleged that the police team stormed into their house, dragged their son out and started thrashing him and other family members.

State Congress president Kamal Nath and Ram Dangore, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Pandhana constituency in Khandwa district, both demanded stern action against the policemen.

Vivek Singh said: “Two policemen, including the Chegaon Makhan police station in-charge and a constable, have been attached to Khandwa district police lines for assaulting the family, particularly the women.”

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