Battle for UP: Probe against cop for praising BJP candidate

Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), March 7 The Ballia police have ordered a probe against a station house officer (SHO) after a video surfaced on social media in which he is purportedly heard suggesting that BJP state vice-president Daya Shankar Singh will be a cabinet minister in the next government.

Singh is contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections from the Ballia Sadar seat.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ballia, Vijay Tripathi said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhushan Verma has been ordered to probe the video of Dubhar SHO Raj Kumar Singh, and submit a report at the earliest.

"Necessary action will be taken on the basis of the findings of the inquiry," Tripathi said.

In the widely shared video, the SHO can be heard saying, "Sir, I am your SHO." He also extended his "best wishes", suggesting that the BJP leader would be a cabinet minister. The police officer then said he was escorting him for the "first time".

Later, the SHO said he was only trying to diffuse the situation as Daya Shankar Singh and his supporters had reached the police station and the SP workers were arriving too.

"On the midnight of March 2, there was an incident of clash between the SP and BJP supporters in the police station area. BJP candidate Daya Shankar Singh has filed a complaint regarding the incident against SP candidate and former minister Narad Rai, accusing him of plotting his murder," he said.

After this, Daya Shankar Singh, along with his supporters, reached the police station. The SP supporters too started arriving at the station, SHO Raj Kumar Singh said.

"In such a scenario, in order to handle the law-and-order situation and ensure that it did not escalate, I urged Daya Shankar Singh and his supporters to leave the spot," he added.

Polling in Ballia is being held in the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on Monday.