The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday became a topic of social media ridicule after a photo of its personnel wearing plastic stool and bamboo basket as protective gear to deal with protesters went viral. The reportedly incident took place in Unnao district of the state where residents of Akrampur were staging protests against the deaths of two individuals in a road accident.
The situation spiralled out of control for the UP Police after women began to pelt stones at them. Faced with growing protests, one cop was seen protecting himself by wearing a red colour plastic stool in place of a helmet. Another cop could be seen using a huge wicker basket as a shield from the incessant stone pelting.
A report by news agency PTI said that 12 cops were in the violence. 43 people have been arrested and case was registered against 100 named and 250 unknown persons in connection with the violence.
Meanwhile, the UP Police has been facing ridicule from netizens for its inability to provide the basic protective gear to its personnel.
The professionalism of @Uppolice always leaves one awed! pic.twitter.com/x7FHrpyejx
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) June 17, 2021
Perhaps UP police will file an FIR against me for tweeting this. This is as random as policing gets. What a professional force Yogi has nurtured pic.twitter.com/n9uIVo0K0V
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) June 17, 2021
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World class defence mechanism of UP police pic.twitter.com/l8L5YNry4P— Indian Alien (@Vishuddh_Aatma) June 17, 2021
Reacting to the criticism, the UP Police tweeted, “An elaborate SOP & sufficient riot gears have been given to all districts to deal with any L&O situation.
In a L&O situation in Unnao, despite Int. inputs, the force was ill equipped for which the DGP has sought explanation of the SP & at the local level SHO has been suspended.”
An elaborate SOP & sufficient riot gears have been given to all districts to deal with any L&O situation.
In a L&O situation in Unnao, despite Int. inputs, the force was ill equipped for which the DGP has sought explanation of the SP & at the local level SHO has been suspended— UP POLICE (@Uppolice) June 17, 2021
According to reports, the police team was outnumbered and ill-equipped to contain the violence and the situation could only be brought to control after additional forces arrived at the spot.