A police officer in Ghaziabad has been formally warned and is under investigation after a video went viral showing him allegedly threatening residents of a slum cluster with a fictitious machine that could supposedly detect if they were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The incident, which occurred on December 23, has prompted the police to clarify that no official orders were given for any document verification drive in the area.
Police Deny Official Verification Drive
Addressing the controversy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Trans-Hindon) Patil Nimish Dasharath stated that the police presence was part of a routine "area domination exercise" and not a targeted document check. "We had not issued any direction for the verification of the document," the DCP told The Indian Express on Saturday, January 4, 2026. He confirmed that a warning had been issued to Station House Officer Ajay Kumar Sharma of Kaushambi police station, who was seen in the clip, and an inquiry into his conduct had been initiated.
Residents Intimidated by 'Psychological Trick'
The video, widely circulated on social media, shows SHO Sharma interacting with residents near Vaishali's Bihari Market. In the clip, he is heard asking a man, "Bangladesh k toh nahi ho (Are you from Bangladesh?)" while tapping a device on him. When the man insists he is from Araria in Bihar, the officer contradicts him, saying "Bangladesh."
One of the residents, Roshni Khatun (25), recounted the incident. She stated that officers knocked on her door and asked for her Aadhaar card. "They said they have a machine that can determine whether we are from Bangladesh or not. Why should we be afraid when we are Bihari?" she said. Roshni added that all nearly 25-30 people in the slum are Muslims from Bihar's Araria district, living there for work.
When questioned, SHO Sharma defended his actions as a "psychological trick" used during interrogations. "Last year, we had arrested five people from the same slum cluster who were from Bangladesh. We use this trick while questioning the accused in police custody so I thought it will work on them too," he explained.
Aftermath and Ongoing Probe
The police's swift response to the viral video highlights the sensitivity around issues of migrant verification and police conduct. The formal warning to the SHO and the ordered probe aim to address the alleged intimidation and the spread of misinformation. The incident has raised questions about police methods during routine checks and the potential for harassment of vulnerable communities. The investigation will determine the full context of the officer's actions and what further disciplinary steps, if any, are warranted.
