An investigation into the incident was initiated by Anakapalli SP Murali Krishna, and the four cops were placed on vacancy reserve.
Published Nov 08, 2023 | 5:47 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 08, 2023 | 5:48 PM
A screenshot from the viral video. (X)
An altercation occurred between the Andhra Pradesh Police and an Army personnel on the morning of Tuesday, 7 November during a Disha awareness camp in Anakapalli.
The incident unfolded when a lone Army personnel, who declined to share the OTP for the Disha app installation, was subsequently mishandled by four police officers. The video went viral.
An investigation into the incident was initiated by Anakapalli Superintendent of Police Murali Krishna, and the four police personnel involved were placed on vacancy reserve.
Disha is a free Android app developed by the Andhra Pradesh government to ensure the safety of women and citizens in emergency situations.
Syed Aleemullah, an Army personnel stationed at the Rashtriya Rifles Camp in Jammu and Kashmir, hails from Elamanchili in the Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh.
Local sources said, “While he was on leave and waiting for a bus in the Paravada Mandal at 9.30 am on Tuesday, constables Muthyalanaidu and Shobharani approached Aleemullah, urging him to instal the Disha app on his phone.”
They added: “When asked for the OTP, Aleemullah declined to share it, requesting the constables to show their police IDs for verification. The constables, in turn, suggested that he visit the police station where they would provide their ID cards. The police personnel then continued to insist that he share the OTP, which led to a heated exchange of words.”
#AndhraPradesh cops mishandled an army personnel in #Anakapalli over installation of #Disha App. The dispute arises after the jawan denied sharing the OTP. An investigation has been ordered by the Anakapllli SP & four policemen have been sent on vacancy reserve.@TheSouthfirst pic.twitter.com/qU1c0yNYDL
— Bhaskar Basava (@bhaskar_basava_) November 8, 2023
The woman constable in the video, however, told the locals that the soldier used offensive language against her when asked to share the OTP.
Following the dispute, other police officers physically restrained him and shifted him to the police station.
The video of the incident gained widespread attention as it spread on social media, highlighting the forcible installation of government apps.
