SMC VERSES POLICE

Srinagar Municipal Corporation has been on the forefront to fight the growing coronavirus infection here. They have sanitized many areas and its employees are working on the ground and should be encouraged by all. On Wednesday Srinagar Mayor Janaid Mattu in a tweet alleged that SMC workers were being beaten repeatedly by Jammu and Kashmir Police, while they are working on the ground.

He claimed that there have been multiple instances of sanitation workers being brutally beaten by policeman in Srinagar city. In another tweet he claimed that he has taken up the matter with SSP Srinagar along with a video where SMC employees were being singled out, thrashed, abused-as if for entertainment.

Police on the other hand have been contesting such claims by SMC and other common people taking cover under this reality that police has been on forefront to enforce restrictions. SSP Srinagar has told media that such incidents can be an aberration, a personal reaction of an individual on the ground and not any brief from the superiors to the cops. He said that police is a disciplined department and he was ready to correct any aberration.

While the SMC and police have locked horns over this issue, fact remains that there are dozens of complaints on daily basis, about the police high handedness while dealing with common people on the streets of Srinagar. While enforcing the lockdown, police has not shown any signs of compassion for common people who are fighting a battle of life and death due to COVID-19 threat.