An auto driver in Bihar’s Sheikhpura district was allegedly assaulted, degraded, and forced to lick his own spit by a police officer for simply being unable to give way in traffic. The incident, which took place on July 1, has sparked outrage, forcing the authorities to suspend the accused sub-inspector.
According to eyewitness accounts and statements by the victim, Pradyuman Kumar, the attack occurred while he was dropping passengers home in his auto-rickshaw. Sub-inspector Praveen Chandra Diwakar, who was in plain clothes and riding a motorcycle, became enraged when Kumar, unable to move aside due to a car ahead of him, did not immediately make way.
The officer, blinded by rage, reportedly overtook the auto, blocked its path, and began beating Kumar with a wooden stick in broad daylight on a public road. However, the assault did not stop there.
In a deeply disturbing revelation, Kumar stated that the officer asked him about his caste mid-assault. Upon hearing that Kumar was a Brahmin, the sub-inspector allegedly said, “I don’t even want to look at a Brahmin,” before raining down further blows.
Kumar recounted that during the beating, he cried in pain and saliva dripped from his mouth—at which point Diwakar allegedly forced him to lick it. The physical attack, combined with caste humiliation, left Kumar traumatised and humiliated in front of onlookers.
Fearful that the police would shield their own, Kumar approached Janata Dal (United) MLA Sudarshan Kumar and narrated the ordeal. Only after this intervention did the local administration act. Sheikhpura SDPO Dr. Rakesh Kumar swiftly condemned the incident, terming it “unacceptable” and “a grave abuse of power and dignity.” Sub-inspector Diwakar was immediately suspended pending a departmental inquiry.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the public, with many calling for the immediate arrest of Diwakar and invoke charges under the Indian Penal Code for assault, criminal intimidation, and caste-based abuse.
Local residents and rights activists have demanded that mere suspension is not enough for such a dehumanising act. “This is not just police brutality—it is caste hatred and criminal sadism. The officer must be arrested and tried under the harshest laws,” said a social activist based in Patna.
The incident raises alarming questions about caste prejudice within India’s law enforcement institutions. If proven true, the incident would not only violate the victim’s human rights but also amount to a serious offence under India’s caste laws.
While Diwakar has been suspended, there is no confirmation yet of an FIR being filed under relevant criminal sections. The state government has also not announced any compensation or support for the victim as of now. A senior official from Bihar Police Headquarters said, “The matter is under investigation. Strict action will be taken if the allegations are proven. No one is above the law.”
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