A constable of Bokaro police was beaten up by local residents in Kumharpatti locality of Dhansar Police station area of Dhanbad late last night.

The policeman, Sitaram Ravidas, who has been seriously injured has been later admitted to Sahid Nirmal Mahto Memorial Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH), where his condition is out of danger.

The incident took place at around 10 pm last night when the police team of Bokaro led by Suman Kumar, officer in charge of Benagarhia reached Kumhar Patti locality to conduct raid in connection with a battery theft issue.

The police team which was on the lookout for Mishri Sao instead picked up Pradip Chaurasia, due to confusion in identity. The local resident who rushed to the site after getting information confused the raiding policemen as kidnappers due to their plaincloths and attacked them with stones etc during which some of policemen escape while one of constable Sitaram Ravidas was injured.

The injured policemen then showed his identity card after which attackers left them and informed local police following which a team of Dhanbad police station led by Ankita Sahu reached at the site and admitted Sitaram Ravidas to Sahid Nirmal Mahto Memorial Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH).

Talking to media at SNMMCH, Ravidas said, “We reached Kumhar Patti locality last night in connection with conducting a raid for a battery theft issue of mobile tower which took place at Bengarhia Police station area of Bokaro last month but local residents attacked us and carried out stone pelting on us due to which I received head injury.”

Chaurasia, on the other hand told media that they were participating in a religious function last night when four persons in plain clothes started beating me accusing me of indulging in battery theft. Neighbours who reached the site nabbed them and later handed them over to Dhansar Police."

Notably, Arun Kumar Das, a resident of Kumharpatti, confused Chaurasia with Mishri Sao and informed Bokaro police about the presence of Sao in Dhansar after which police conducted a raid.

Local residents however denied any attack against the policemen and said that the police constable got injured after falling on his own during raid. Ankita Sahu, officer in charge of Dhansar Police station said, “The Bokaro police team didn’t inform the local police about the raid and we are looking into the greater details of the incident.”