UP: PL Punia stages protest against 'third degree' to youth arrested on suspicion of cow slaughter

Congress leader PL Punia on Thursday staged a protest outside a police station in Barabanki district against allegedly giving the 'third degree' to a Muslim youth on suspicion of cow slaughter.

According to police, a man named Shakir, a resident of Tera village, has been arrested by police on charges of cow slaughter and a case has been registered against him.

However, Shakir's younger brother approached Congress Rajya Sabha MP PL Punia and claimed that his brother is "innocent." Taking cognisance of the matter, Punia reached the police station and spoke to Inspector Amresh Singh Baghel.

After meeting the arrested youth at the police station, Punia sat on protest with his supporters and accused the police of giving the "third degree" to Shakir. He demanded action against police personnel involved in torturing the accused.

"The accused was given a third-degree by the police, which is wrong. He was brutally beaten by eight police personnel. I told the police to take action as per law against the accused and file FIR against those police personnel who have beaten him," Punia claimed.

He said that the medical examination of the accused should be conducted by the police.

Sandeep Kumar Gupta, Additional District Magistrate of Barabanki, said that the entire case is being investigated and action will be taken according to whatever facts are revealed.

He said that action would be taken against the people gathered outside the police station in a large number after the implementation of the code of conduct in view of by-polls for the 11 assembly seats in the state.