The opposition leaders in Maharashtra on Friday denounced the alleged manhandling of a woman protester by a police officer during a demonstration in Mumbai against the NEET paper leak. The opposition demanded strict action against the police officer.
A video of the incident had gone viral.
The Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad shared a video on X reportedly from a protest in Dadar, central Mumbai, in which a policeman in plainclothers can be seen grabbing a woman demonstrator and manhandling her.
"The agitation over the paper leak case is underway. What happened to a young woman during the protest in Mumbai is deeply painful. It is not right to speak of 'Ladki Bahin' and then treat young women in this manner. It is shameful that women are allegedly being mistreated in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," Gaikwad said.
Criticising the ruling dispensation, Gaikwad alleged that protesting students are being threatened and false cases are being filed against them.
In another post on X, the Lok Sabha MP questioned the conduct of the police personnel.
"What is this behaviour, Mumbai Police? Why is a male cop manhandling a young female protester like this? Why isn't he letting his female colleagues handle this? What action will be taken against him? This is unacceptable," she said.
She also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue, saying he had posted a video at midnight on Thursday but remained silent when students faced a baton charge.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who also shared the same protest video on X, demanded strict action against the policeman seen in the clip.
"This video is infuriating. Who is this person? If he is a policeman, suspend him immediately or dismiss him from the police force. Register a case of outraging the modesty of a woman against him and put him behind bars. He is a blot on the Maharashtra Police, a force with a distinguished reputation," Pawar stated.
Students and activists staged a protest and demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation at the Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai on Thursday before being chased away by police, with some youths falling.
'Viral video misinterpreted'
The Mumbai police claimed that the viral video was being misinterpreted, stressing that he was attempting to restrain a male protester when she inadvertently came in between.
In a post on X, the Mumbai police rejected the allegations, saying an "extremely irresponsible and incorrect" interpretation was being made of their employee's behaviour.
The said officer was holding a male protester and looking in another direction, when a "female protester inadvertently came in between", said the city police.
"As a renowned individual, it is expected of you to verify the facts before drawing any conclusions based on a video.
The senior officers have confirmed all the facts," the police said.
(With inputs from PTI)