A police officer in Ghaziabad has stirred controversy by using a mobile phone as a fake 'scanner' to intimidate slum dwellers during a verification drive, claiming the device could instantly detect if they were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
The Incident in Bhowapur Slum
The unusual incident took place on December 23 in the Bhowapur slum cluster in Kaushambi, which houses approximately 50 shanties. The drive was part of security checks conducted around Christmas and New Year. The team was led by Kaushambi police station SHO Ajay Sharma.
Videos of the encounter, which surfaced on social media on Thursday, show the police action. In a 26-second clip, Sharma and other officers, including RAF personnel, are seen questioning a resident. When the man produced an identity card stating he was from Araria in Bihar, Sharma pressed him, asking if he was from Bihar or Bangladesh.
The 'Machine' That Showed Bangladesh
Unsatisfied with the response, SHO Ajay Sharma decided to escalate the pressure. He announced he had a machine that could immediately reveal a person's origin. He then instructed a constable to bring the 'machine'—which was simply a mobile phone—and place it on the man's back.
"The machine is showing Bangladesh," Sharma told the bewildered slum dweller, who protested, saying, "No sir, we are from Bihar." Sharma then questioned him about who else in the slum might be Bangladeshi, to which the man replied that there was no one.
Police Response and Justification
When confronted by TOI, SHO Ajay Sharma defended his actions. He stated he had not said or done anything wrong but had merely "tried to put pressure on them so that they reveal their true identity." He insisted that no one was harassed during the exercise.
However, a senior police officer indicated that while a foot march for verification was conducted, there was no such order from seniors to employ such tactics. The officer distanced the department from the SHO's unique method.
Commissioner of Police J Ravindra Goud told TOI that the details of the video are being checked. "We are checking the details of the video and if any person is harassed by police, we will take action," Goud assured.
The incident has raised serious questions about the methods used in such verification drives, which are supposed to follow established protocols designed to protect the dignity of residents while security agencies perform their duties.
