A video clip of a ‘farmer’ who was ‘brutally beaten up by Uttar Pradesh Police had gone viral on social media. Samajwadi Party leader Anurag Bhadouria had shared a video on Monday and said how the UP Police were beating up farmers in UP.
शायद पाकिस्तानी किसान को यूपी की पुलिस पीट पीट कर ठोक रही है..वाह #भाजपा सरकार..शाबाश यूपी पुलिस लगे रहो..ये किसान बचने नहीं चाहिये..#ठोकोतंत्र में #लोकतंत्र की बात करते हैं..@yadavakhilesh@BJP4India@ANINewsUP @News18UP @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/1sBugwRC5c
— Dr Anurag bhadouria (@anuragspparty) November 18, 2019
“Perhaps UP Police thinks they are Pakistani farmer,” Bhadouria had taken a jibe in his tweet. In the video, a man wearing blue pants and white shirt can be seen lying down on the ground as if he has fallen down after the blows of the police. In the beginning of the video, a police official can be seen trying to push the man with his lathi but the man does not budge, giving an impression that he is so injured that he can’t even move on his own.
The video was shared by Times of India journalist Piyush Rai on his Twitter account too.
Police can defend lathi charge as necessary force required to disperse a violent mob. But, what on earth is this?
Already unconscious after lathi charge, this UP farmer in Unnao was shown no mercy.Warning: Disturbing video pic.twitter.com/YZKlfWYsOD
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) November 17, 2019
‘Independent journalist’ Kanchan Srivastava also shared the above video questioning ‘Ram Rajya’.
Can anyone believe this video is from Ram Rajya & the man being served by so many officers is the Annadata?
Unnao farmers are on protest to seek compensation for land pic.twitter.com/NZYwj23JZt
— Kanchan Srivastava (@Ms_Aflatoon) November 17, 2019
‘Journalist’ formerly associated with Kapil Sibal backed now-defunct Tiranga TV also shared the video.
Treatment being meted out to Unnao farmers for protesting seeking land compensation https://t.co/LOah8OHuEB
— Saif Ullah Khan (@saifizm) November 17, 2019
Unnao Police, however, today took to Twitter to share the remaining part of the above video which was clipped out.
कतिपय समाचार चैनलों एवं सोशल मीडिया पर जमीन पर पड़े अधमरे युवक की पिटाई की घटना का सही वीडियो @Uppolice @dgpup @adgzonelucknow @bstvlive @News18UP @ZEEUPUK @aajtak @samachar_plus @Knewsindia @CMOfficeUP pic.twitter.com/c8pN9I6iiu
— UNNAO POLICE (@unnaopolice) November 19, 2019
At around 14 seconds in the video, the ‘unconscious farmer brutally beaten up by Police’ gets up and starts running away, much to the amusement of those filming. Unnao Police had also issued a statement that the police action was in response to the stonepelting that was being carried out by those present there.
Read: Amethi police confirm viral video showing Dalit man being beaten up by Muslim men, 2 arrested
On Sunday, farmer protests demanding higher compensation for land acquired for proposed township became violent in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. The protestors set a crusher plant on fire and some plastic pipes were also set ablaze. The sub-station compound also went up in flames. Amidst this, clashes broke out between farmers and police where the above video was shot and part of it went viral.