The altercation started when Anumeha Gupta, SHO of Bargawan police station, slapped a young protester who was part of a group blocking the road. Angered by the act, the locals called the police, one of them slapped the officer in retaliation.

The protest resulted from the death of a 50-year-old villager in a road accident. The driver responsible for the accident fled the spot, prompting the victim’s relatives and villagers to gather at the Bargawan police station, demanding an FIR and arrest of the driver. However, police officials told them that the incident falls under the jurisdiction of Budhera Police Station and advised them to lodge a complaint there. This response agitated the villagers, causing them to block the Bargawan-Kharagpur highway.

The road block, which lasted for over an hour, disrupted traffic, prompting SHO Anumeha Gupta to intervene. As he tried to negotiate with the protesters, a verbal altercation escalated, leading to a youth being slapped in the crowd. In retaliation, an angry villager slapped the officer in the same manner.

Videos of the incident, showing both the SHO slapping the youth and the villager retaliating, have gone viral, drawing widespread criticism on social media. Many users condemned the officer’s behavior as inappropriate.

Senior police officials confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the incident. Additional police forces were deployed to restore order and diffuse tensions in the area.