Video shows cop 'manhandling woman protester in Mumbai; Oppn seeks action, police reject charge

Mumbai, Jul 24 (PTI) A video of a policeman allegedly manhandling a woman protester during an agitation against the NEET paper leak in Mumbai has triggered a row, with Opposition leaders demanding strict action against the cop and the police saying the incident was "irresponsibly misinterpreted". Opposition leaders expressed outrage over a viral video reportedly from a protest in Dadar, central Mumbai, in which a policeman in plainclothes can be seen grabbing a male protester along with a woman who was trying to intervene. Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad shared the video of the demonstration on X, claiming that protesting students are being threatened and false cases are being filed against them. "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. False cases are being filed against students, and they are being threatened," the Lok Sabha MP stated on Thursday. In another post earlier in the day, she 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. Responding to Gaikwad's post, Mumbai Police on Friday said on X that the incident was being "irresponsibly misinterpreted". 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. Senior officers had verified the facts and minutely assessed the video, and urged the Congress leader to verify facts before drawing conclusions based on the clip, it said in the post. “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. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Akbar Pathan said the video was being “irresponsibly misinterpreted”. “The official was trying to hold on to a male protester and a lady stepped in while he was looking away. Senior officers have verified all the facts and minutely assessed the video to ascertain the facts,” he said. No case has been registered in connection with the allegations so far. 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. PTI ND ZA NR ARU