Lockdown Violation: Police Officer Removed from Post for Thrashing Priest Who Organised Puja in MP Temple

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday removed a station house officer after he was caught thrashing a priest at a temple in Rewa district.

The priest had reportedly organised a puja on Ramnavmi despite prohibitive orders in place due to the coronavirus threat.

The police reportedly dispersed the mob from the temple in Dhekha colony. SHO Rajkumar Mishra was seen in a photo thrashing the priest with his stick and also threw away the articles used for prayers.

After the image was circulated on social media, Rewa Inspector General of Police Chanchal Shekhar line-attached the SHO.

Senior BJP leader Gopal Bhargav had on Friday posted photoso of the police officer beating up the priest with a stick.

The Congress criticised the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government for the assault, with leader Siddharth Tiwari questioniong the "inhuman" treatment meted out to the priest.