Bihar cop suspended for brandishing pistol at people during flood relief distribution

The station house officer of Maker Police Station in Bihar's Saran district was suspended for allegedly brandishing a pistol at flood-hit people during the distribution of relief materials.

The action was taken after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

The incident, prima facie, reflects "gross negligence of duty, indiscipline and arbitrariness", said an official statement issued on Sunday.

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"Maker SHO, Sangram Kumar Singh, has been suspended with immediate effect after a video purportedly showing him brandishing his pistol towards the public while distributing flood relief materials in the area went viral on social media," said the statement issued by the Saran SSP's office.

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Singh will be entitled to subsistence allowance as per rules during the suspension period, it added.

Nearly 9.87 lakh people in 169 gram panchayats across 30 blocks in six Bihar districts have been affected by floods following heavy rainfall in Nepal and adjoining areas in the last week of September.

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The affected districts are Saran, West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur.