VIGILANTES ASSAULT PEOPLE DEFECATING IN OPEN IN MEERUT

Self-styled cleanliness vigilantes allegedly beat up people defecating on the banks of river Ramganga and forced them to put the excreta in their pocket in Moradabad on Sunday morning, police said.

Deputy inspector general, Moradabad range, Omkar Singh said he had received reports about the incident and had asked the senior superintendent of police (SSP) Pritinder Pal Singh to identify the accused and take stern action against them.

“A video of the incident has gone viral on the social media. I have asked the SSP to identify the victims and take a formal complaint from them,” Singh said.

He said no one had the right to take law in their hand and strict action would be taken against the accused.

Singh said a few residents of Gulabbari and Barbalan areas were defecating on the banks of river Ramganga when a group of cleanliness vigilantes reached there and beat them up.

“The vigilantes allegedly asked them to bend down and put bricks on their back. They forced them to pocket their excreta as punishment for defecating in the open,” he said.

They also threatened them that they would push the faeces in their mouth if they dared to defecate in the open again.

The vigilantes made a video of the incident and uploaded it on the social media.

“It is good to spread awareness against open defecation but insulting and beating people is not justified. This will not be tolerated,” the DIG said.

The incident has also exposed the claim of Moradabad district administration which recently declared the city free of open defecation.

MEERUT: THE VIGILANTES ASKED PEOPLE TO BEND AND PUT BRICKS ON THEIR BACK; ALSO FORCED THEM TO PUT EXCRETA IN THEIR POCKETS