Sonbhadra SOG's Mistaken Detention Triggers Massive Public Protest in Sultanpur
A major public disturbance erupted in Sultanpur on Sunday night after the Special Operations Group (SOG) unit of Sonbhadra Police mistakenly detained an innocent youth during an operation. The incident occurred at the busy Payagipur crossing around 8:45 PM, sparking immediate outrage from local residents and shopkeepers.
Chaotic Scene at Payagipur Crossing
According to multiple eyewitness accounts, a four-member SOG team from Sonbhadra, operating in plain clothes without visible identification, approached Chandan Maurya as he stood near a popular chaat stall. The 22-year-old resident of Ramsapur in the Karaudi Kala area was reportedly targeted as part of the team's search for an accused in a mobile tower battery theft case.
The situation escalated rapidly when the plainclothes officers attempted to take Maurya aside for questioning. When the youth resisted and claimed innocence, the policemen allegedly used physical force, grabbing him and attempting to push him into their vehicle. Witnesses described particularly disturbing scenes, with one officer accused of pressing his foot against the young man's chest while others tried to drag him into the waiting vehicle.
Public Intervention and Escalation
The aggressive approach immediately drew intervention from local shopkeepers and passers-by who witnessed the confrontation. Within minutes, a substantial crowd had gathered, surrounding the SOG vehicle and confronting the officers directly.
- The protest quickly grew in intensity with heated arguments and physical pushing
- Traffic at the crucial Payagipur crossing came to a complete standstill
- The crowd expressed anger at what they perceived as police overreach
As the situation threatened to spiral completely out of control, the SOG team contacted Kotwali Nagar police for backup. Inspector-in-Charge Sandeep Rai arrived promptly with additional force and managed to de-escalate the tense confrontation through dialogue and persuasion.
Police Verification Reveals Critical Error
Both Chandan Maurya and the SOG team were taken to Kotwali Nagar police station for formal verification and documentation. During thorough scrutiny, investigators discovered a critical operational failure that explained the entire incident.
The SOG team had committed significant errors in both location tracking and suspect identification. Their information about the suspect's whereabouts was faulty, and they had incorrectly matched Maurya's appearance with their suspect's photograph. Most importantly, verification confirmed that Maurya had absolutely no connection to the criminal case being investigated by Sonbhadra police.
Inspector Sandeep Rai later explained, "The confusion arose due to faulty location tracking and incorrect photo matching. Once the documents and identity were properly verified, the entire situation became clear and the matter was resolved through constructive dialogue."
Formal Apology and Community Backlash
After confirming their mistake, the SOG team formally apologized to Chandan Maurya and his family members. However, the incident has sparked strong criticism from local residents who question multiple aspects of the police operation.
- Why an outstation police team operated without proper uniforms or visible identification
- Why there was no prior coordination with local Sultanpur police authorities
- Why identity verification wasn't conducted before attempting detention
Community members expressed grave concerns that, without their timely intervention, an innocent person could have been falsely implicated in a serious criminal investigation. Sonbhadra Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma maintained that no physical force was actually used on the wrong person, though eyewitness accounts contradict this assertion.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between law enforcement procedures and community trust, particularly regarding inter-district police operations conducted without proper protocols and transparency measures.
