One of the three videos showing Pushap Bali’s brutal acts

JALANDHAR: Kartarpur police station SHO Pushap Bali has been shunted to Police Lines of Jalandhar Rural police for thrashing people carrying essential items, filming the act and then circulating the clip on social media to shame the curfew offenders. Jalandhar Rural SP (Hq) confirmed that Bali had been sent to police lines and a new SHO appointed in his place.

There are other videos also of police personnel unleashing brutality on people, but Bali became the face of it as he filmed his three such acts. None of the three videos show a group of people, but individuals — one carrying wheat flour bag and other essentials items on his scooter, one carrying milk and another driving his car. Bali apparently stood on the road with his subordinates and made them film his acts of insulting, abusing and thrashing people. At no point is he seen asking his victims why they were out.

After the videos attracted a lot of criticism from people and some activists even threatened legal action against cops resorting to unwarranted brutality, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh issued a statement on late Thursday evening, saying, “I have directed the DGP to post those few policemen who were unreasonable with the people to police lines. They are overshadowing the good work being done by most. I will not tolerate these excesses.”

Punjab and Haryana advocate who had earlier written a complaint to the Punjab and Haryana high court Chief justice, seeking his intervention, on Saturday said, “We will fight till dismissal of every culprit police officer.”

