Erode (Tamil Nadu), February 9 A video clip, purportedly showing a police officer verbally abusing a migrant worker employed at a roadside eatery here, has gone viral. Authorities said on Monday that the officer has been transferred to the Armed Reserve.
The officer, who appeared to be angry, allegedly slapped the migrant worker, which is not shown in the video footage, police said. The incident reportedly took place on the night of February 8.
The footage also shows the officer warning the worker against opening the eatery the next morning and allegedly using abusive language against him.
The video clip from the CCTV camera at the eatery in the Kanchikoil area allegedly shows the officer questioning the guest worker in a threatening manner about his place of origin, and a verbal altercation appears to have ensued between the two.
The officer reportedly said that it was past 10 PM and asked how the shop could be kept open, and directed that it be closed. He also pushed away some cooking utensils and other items using his baton.
The officer appears to have intimidated the guest worker, who replied that he was just an employee and that only the owner could answer such questions.
The upset worker can be heard asking the officer why he was being beaten, and he also shows the officer the camera and says that everything was being recorded.
When the officer asks if the worker was "touching" him, the migrant worker points to the camera and says that it was actually the officer who was holding his shirt.
Police authorities said that the officer, pending an inquiry, has been transferred to the Armed Reserve unit.
The guest worker's home state could not be ascertained immediately.