The policeman thought he was a Muslim. He had a long beard. " That's why he was beaten

Police in the Betul district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh are accused of beating up a lawyer because they thought he was a Muslim.
A police officer has been suspended following the incident.
The incident took place on March 23 when a lawyer named Deepak Bandela was on his way to the hospital. Deepak has diabetes and that is why he had to leave his house during the lockdown.
"On March 23, when I was on my way to the hospital from my home, the police stopped me and asked, 'Where are you going?' I told him I was going to the hospital. Yet they did not let me go. When I told him I was sick, an official said, "Looks like a wrestler, go home." And slapped. "
"Section 144 was in force in the district at the time of the incident," he said. I have been suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes for a long time. So I had to leave home. But the police did not let me go, they beat me. '
Deepak Bandela said that he asked the police to register a case against him which angered the police and they also beat him with sticks.
Deepak tried to raise the issue of beatings everywhere so that action could be taken against the policemen. He wrote a letter to the district police chief on the 24th detailing the incident.
He also sent all the information to the DGP of Madhya Pradesh but according to him, despite all efforts, no action was taken. He raised the issue elsewhere so that the culprits could be punished. He also took his grievances to the Chief Minister, the State Commission for Human Rights, the High Court and other officials.
After all these efforts, the police finally reached his house about two months later to take his statement. The police team consisted of two persons, one of whom was Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhavani Singh Patel.
According to Deepak, the officials who came to take his statement continued to support his comrades who had beaten him. Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhavani Singh Patel said that his colleague was in fact "misunderstood".
"She was beaten by mistake because the police officer thought she was a Muslim. He had a long beard. "
Deepak has a recording of a conversation with the police in which he repeatedly asked Deepak to withdraw the application. He can be heard saying many times that he was beaten with the understanding of 'other society'.
Deepak Bandela had also requested CCTV footage of the incident under RTI but no reply has been received so far. Police officials have suspended Bhavani Singh Patel after the case came to light.
Sanjay Mishra, head of the Betul Bar Association, said an FIR should now be registered in the case.
Deepak says no action has been taken against him for his treatment.
"The poison of hatred is being sown in our society against a particular community," he said. But this fire will not be limited to Muslims only. It's dangerous for everyone on the edge of society. "
At the same time, they are afraid that the police will make a false case against them. He said, "The policemen were saying to me while recording the statement that if the lawyer befriends the police, then the advocacy of both the brothers will go well." Otherwise, the police could be caught in a false case at any time.
"The country's media has painted a different picture of Muslims, which is making things worse," he said. But still the whole society has not deteriorated but still a large part is secular. As long as that is the case, there is hope. "
Betul Additional Police Chief Shardha Joshi said that in this case, Deepak Bandela had not been able to identify the policemen who had beaten him earlier because the policemen were wearing masks.
"As far as going home and taking Deepak Bandela's statement is concerned, it has been found that the assistant sub-inspector has made an inappropriate comment and therefore he has been suspended immediately," he said.