Representative image of police.
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An Uttar Pradesh cop, allegedly angry over the 'abduction' of 'Sita Mata' (Lord Rama's wife) by 'Ravana' (demon king) at a Ramlila performance, tried to attack Ravana and 'rescue' Sita.
The bizarre scene was witnessed during a Ramlila in Agra town in the state a couple of days back and came to light after a video of the same went viral on social media platforms.
Audience members and organisers were shocked when the cop, identified as Hari Chand, a head constable with the UP police, shouted 'Jai Bajarangbali' and climbed on to the stage and charged at Ravana as the latter 'kidnapped' Sita. An unsuspecting Ravana ran for safety as a few other police constables deployed there tried to stop Hari Chand.
Hari Chand was later overpowered with the help of other cops and the organisers, sources said. The cop has been suspended and sent to the Police Lines, officials in Agra said. ''A departmental inquiry has also been initiated in this matter,'' a senior official said.
He told the organisers that he was a disciple of Lord Hanuman (the monkey god) and as such he could not have silently watched the 'abduction' of 'Sita Mata'. ''I have been watching Ramlila since childhood....I am a disciple of Hanuman and no one can harm Sita Mata before me,'' the cop said.
Police officials said that Hari Chand might have been in an inebriated state, but the latter said that he was not drunk.
Ramlilas are staged across Uttar Pradesh, especially in the run up to and during the 'navratri' festivals, which occur twice in a year. Some of the Ramlilas in the state are being staged for the past many centuries.