UP cracks down on cops wearing black badges in protest

Taking a serious view of cops wearing black badges to protest dismissal of two constables for killing an Apple executive after he allegedly failed to stop his car, Uttar Pradesh government on Friday cracked down on the men in uniform suspending six of them, including three inspectors.

The government had warned that stern action would be taken if cops wore black badges while on duty.

Ignoring the directive, cops in large numbers were seen wearing black badges while reporting for duty, sources said.

Six cops, including the station officers of three police stations in the state capital, were suspended.

More action likely

''We are trying to identify the cops who wore black badges...action will be taken against them,'' said a senior official.

A section of the cops had sought ''bravery award'' for the accused constables. A campaign has been launched on social media for collecting funds to help Chaudhary and another cop, who too was sacked, for meeting legal expenses in fighting the case in the courts.

Vivek Tiwari, who was an executive with Apple, was shot dead by a cop early last Saturday in the posh Gomti Nagar extension of the state capital, while he was on way to drop one of his female colleagues home after work.