On Monday, the first day of lockdown 3.0 when West Bengal allowed stand alone liquor shops to open for business as some restrictions were eased during the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, a state police officer made news but for all the wrong reasons.
Wearing his uniform, the officer was seen standing in a queue with a nylon bag in his hands outside a liquor store in Berhampore in Murshidabad district in a video widely shared on social media.
The incident took place around 4.30 pm in the Haridasmati area.
The identity of the police officer, who was wearing the uniform of a sub-inspector, could not be ascertained as he had a helmet on that covered his face
Some buyers alleged that the man tried to break the line, violating social distancing norms. When some local people and journalists asked him to reveal his identity, the man quickly rode off on a motorcycle.
The police officer was present outside the shop for around 10 minutes during which time he was caught on camera by some of the people, including journalists, and the video was later widely shared.
The owner of the shop, who did not want to be identified, said, “I opened the shop after 4.30 pm as the state excise department order was issued late in the day. I did not see who all were standing in the queue.”
The superintendent of police (SP) Murshidabad police district, Sabari Rajkumar, said, “I am not aware of the incident.”
Another senior officer who did not want to be identified said, “It is not desirable that a police officer in uniform should be seen buying liquor. We have seen the photos circulating on social media. Disciplinary action may be initiated if we manage to identify him.”
Mugen Chaw, the assistant superintendent of Berhampore excise circle, said, “We have allowed some liquor shops in this circle to do business. We have given strict instructions that every buyer will have to maintain social distancing norms.”
Stand alone liquor shops in West Bengal have been allowed to open between 12 noon and 7 PM during the third phase of nationwide lockdown in force till May 17.