Mansa, January 24
The Punjab Police today suspended a head constable for beating up a 20-year-old girl accused of stealing in the police station premises in Mansa.

A video of the incident received by mediapersons showed Head Constable Balwan Singh mercilessly raining blows on a girl from Khudal village on the orders of Bareta police SHO Sikandar Singh on Sunday. Singh can be heard egging Balwan Singh to beat her up more for committing a theft.

While Balwan Singh hit the girl, female staff stood by and watched. According to Punjab Police rules, male staff cannot handle female accused.

Bathinda DIG Paramraj Umranangal said that following the video footage, Balwan Singh had been immediately suspended and a departmental inquiry initiated against him. An inquiry has also been initiated against Bareta SHO Sikandar Singh.

Umranangal said the girl was part of an organised gang involved in vehicle-lifting. The woman and her accomplices had stolen a truck and a Canter.

“While one of the female gang members and a man named Gurnam Singh were arrested some days ago, this woman was arrested on Sunday. When the SHO asked her name, she answered inappropriately,” Umranangal said.

PTI adds: The Punjab State Human Rights Commission directed the state government to submit a report into the incident before February 24 and said the incident was “shocking”.

Bhatinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal condemned the incident and said it happened due to indiscriminate transfer of police personals by Election Commission and its inaction on Shiromani Akali Dal’s complaint against Amarinder for inciting violence.