Two Sikhs were allegedly assaulted by policemen in Madhya Pradesh, prompting the BJP-led state government to suspend two cops in this connection.
Those assaulted include a granthi (caretaker of a gurdwara and reader of Guru Granth Sahib, the central religious scripture of Sikhism), an official said.
The government said assistant sub-inspector Sitaram Bhatnagar and head constable Mohan Jamre have been suspended for not following due procedure while detaining the Sikhs.
Barwani district Superintendent of Police Nimish Agrawal said a probe by a sub-divisional officer police has been ordered into the incident, which took place on Thursday.
The incident took place in Rajpur tehsil of Barwani district after an argument between the family of Giani Prem Singh Granthi - who was among those assaulted - and the police over setting up a stall in the area.
A viral video of the incident shows Prem Singh being dragged by policemen in full public view and a cop pulling him by his hair. It also shows another policeman pushes a turbaned man, who comes to save Singh.
Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath tweeted, "This atrocity and anti-social act is disrespect to the holy Sikh religion. Such incidents cannot be tolerated. I demand from the government to immediately take strong action against those responsible for it and justice for the victims."
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in his tweet said, "ASI Sitaram Bhatnagar and HC Mohan Jamre in Barwani have been immediately suspended for inhuman treatment of Sikh brothers. Such barbarism with Sikhs will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The case will be investigated by the Indore IG and strict action will be taken against them."
State Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja tweeted the video and criticised the police.
"The granthi has long been running a lock-keys shop near the Pulsood police outpost. He was beaten, his turban desecrated and then he was pulled through hair on the road in full public view by cops. This amounts to insulting religious sentiments of the Sikh community," Saluja tweeted.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal took to Twitter to condemn the incident.
"Too shocking for words! The barbaric & humiliating attack on Giani Prem Singh Granthi & other Sikhs in Madhya Pradesh is utterly inhuman & unacceptable. I urge CM @ChouhanShivraj to set an example of punitive action against those who treat the sword of the nation with such contempt," Badal tweeted.
"Beastly attack on Giani Prem Singh Granthi & other Sikhs in MP is an outrage against humanity. Utterly reprehensible & unacceptable! #Sikhs all over the world are deeply shocked. I urge CM @ChouhanShivraj to take imm & examplary action against all those guilty of this brutality," Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted.
