SHIMLA: A day after a video showing a man being thrashed by a constable and the BRO staff in Rohtang's Atal Tunnel surfaced online, Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kundu on Monday directed police personnel not to cross legal boundaries while dealing with the public.
In a letter to SPs of Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and Mandi's Pandoh-based commandant of the 3rd India Reserve Battalion (IRB), the DGP said, "In no case, police personnel should transgress boundaries set by law."
The DGP said some travellers violate laws and do not follow necessary guidelines, especially the Motor vehicle Act, while crossing the tunnel.
It is imperative for police personnel deployed there to strictly enforce law but remain polite and firm in interaction with the public, he added.
The DGP said the 3rd IRB Battalion Commandant should train police personnel for soft skills on dealing with the public travelling through the tunnel.
All police personnel deployed on tunnel duty should receive such training before their induction, he said, adding that their soft skills should be reviewed and upgraded regularly through in-service courses.
Earlier on Sunday, Himachal Pradesh Police initiated a probe after the video clip surfaced on social media.
The incident took place on Saturday, police said on Sunday.
In the around two-minute-long video, the man is seen bent over with his arms looped behind the legs to hold his ears.
He is kicked in the face and slapped by the personnel.
On December 24, 10 tourists from Delhi were arrested and their cars impounded after they stopped inside the tunnel and danced, leading to a traffic jam.
On December 27, 15 more tourists, including seven from Delhi, were arrested and two vehicles seized for obstructing traffic inside the tunnel.