GUWAHATI: A Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve ranger found himself detained at a police station for allegedly failing to provide five elephant safari tickets for the family members of a superintendent of police.
Tarun Gogoi, the forest ranger, said that the tickets could not be provided to SP Rajen Singh as they were sold out. He offered to arrange for the tickets for the next day but Singh was not amused. Gogoi alleged he was detained for four hours by the police.
The action of the SP embarrassed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh. The top cop on Friday apologised to the forest official. “I’ve been made aware of the last evening’s undue detention of Tarun Gogoi of @assamforest. I have spoken to Gogoi and conveyed my regret as @DGPAssamPolice,” said Singh.
“Golaghat has also been suitably advised. Our aim remains courteous behaviour with fellow citizens. I have also conveyed my sincere apologies to the Assam allegedly for anguish caused to him and the government,” the DGP said. Later, he told journalists that he had spoken with the SP.
“He (SP) said the forest officer misbehaved with him. But the news in the media was different. I always insist the police should behave well. Police misbehaviour with the public is unacceptable. I do not think that the police have any mandate to misbehave with anyone,” the DGP said.
The CM said he had spoken with the DGP over the incident involving the SP. “We do not endorse arrogance, and it is important for public servants to remain humble in their thoughts and actions,” Sarma said.