Prayagraj:Uttar Pradesh Police suspended a sub-inspector of police who allegedly mixed ash into food being cooked for devotees stranded in the district, following the stampede at Maha Kumbh on Mauni Amavasya, officials said.
The ash 'mixing' incident was reported in a 'bhandara' opened by the local devotees in Soraon.
The videos of the incident captured by the locals through their mobile phones were widely shared. One of the videos showed Brijesh Tiwari, the police official, walking towards an open kitchen where cooking was underway. He was seen carrying a kitchen shovel with ash and pouring it in one of the open pots. The video had the onlookers raising an alarm as the man in uniform mixed ash. It also showed him throwing the shovel away, walking away checking his mobile phone. Another frame showed the onlookers checking on the pot ash floating on it and the stove which was put out. One person was heard saying "let's close". It was unclear why he did so.
As the video trickled out, a probe was ordered by the Prayagraj police top brass. The ACP of Soraon was tasked to go into the purported incident. Based on the enquiry, the SI was placed under suspension until further orders, said a senior official who was privy to the enquiry.