Patna: Two station house officers (SHOs) have been suspended after a viral video showed policemen allegedly being frisked by supporters of the notorious Sonu-Monu gang before entering a house during a raid in Patna district.
Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma suspended Panchmahla SHO Kundan Kumar and Hathidah SHO Ranjan Kumar on charges of gross negligence and indiscipline. The incident took place at Nauranga Jalalpur village under Panchmahala police station limits on Sunday.
The controversy erupted after a firing incident on Saturday evening in the village.
Police said that a criminal linked to the Sonu-Monu gang allegedly opened fire on Mukesh Singh, husband of the local sarpanch and PACS chairman, who is also considered a close supporter of JD (U) MLA and strongman, Anant Singh. Mukesh Singh narrowly escaped the attack.
Police said the dispute began over a social media post made by Mukesh Singh after a recent police raid in the area. In the post, he reportedly praised the police action and stated that “rule of law” would prevail and criminals would be eliminated. The remarks allegedly angered Pramod Singh, father of Sonu and Monu and a local lawyer
According to Barh SDPO-I Ram Krishna, Pramod Singh confronted Mukesh Singh over the post on Saturday evening, leading to a heated argument. During the altercation, Sonu allegedly arrived at the spot with several supporters, after which one of his associates, identified as Saurav, allegedly fired two rounds at Mukesh Singh
Based on Mukesh Singh’s complaint, police registered an FIR against Sonu, Monu and several others. However, by the time police teams reached the accused’s residence, both brothers managed to flee from the spot.
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During the raid, family members and supporters allegedly stopped police personnel at the entrance and forced them to undergo physical checks before entering the house. Videos of the incident, showing policemen standing in a queue while being frisked, quickly went viral on social media.
Former IPS officer and Bihar rural works minister Sunil Kumar asserted that submitting to a personal search during a raid was a standard part of established rules and procedures. "The reality is not quite as it has been portrayed," he remarked, leaving the final decision on the matter to the police officials.
