UP: Man assaulted on road allegedly in cops’ presence, probe ordered   

A Greater Noida resident was punched and assaulted with sticks at a busy roundabout by some locals over a dispute allegedly in the presence of police and their official vehicle barely a few metres away.

Noida: A Greater Noida resident was punched and assaulted with sticks at a busy roundabout by some locals over a dispute allegedly in the presence of police and their official vehicle barely a few metres away.

Police said they have so far arrested four suspects involved in the crime which took place on the night of October 1 and launched a departmental probe over alleged laxity by its personnel.

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Haneef alias Kale said he was attacked by some men known to him and hailing from his neighbourhood in the Jewar area of Greater Noida.

“I was attacked after I resisted their attempt to take away my buffalo from my house. Two-three years ago, during the Covid-19 pandemic, they had taken another of my buffalo and said they would pay me Rs 22,500 for it but have not made the payment till date,” he told PTI.

“When I resisted their attempt on October 1, they hurled expletives at me and threatened me of dire consequences. Later that evening, when I was on my way to the local police station, they attacked me at the roundabout with sticks and hands,” he added.

Haneef claimed while he was being assaulted some local policemen and their official vehicle stood barely a few metres away but there was no intervention despite his call for help.

A short video purporting to capture the incident also surfaced on social media on Thursday. It showed Haneef being assaulted with reflection of the red-and-blue light – as seen on beacons atop police vehicles — on the ground. However, no actual police vehicle was seen in the short clip.

The local police officials have denied the claim of their or their vehicle’s presence near the crime spot.
A police spokesperson said the incident took place around 9 pm on October 1 when four local people attacked Haneef alias Kale at a roundabout on the road in the Jewar town area.

Three people involved in the attack — identified as Naeem, Aarif and Saddam — were arrested on Monday, the spokesperson said. A fourth suspect, Haroon, was arrested on Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Saad Miya Khan said, “A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against the local police chowki (post) in-charge.” The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation), the police said.