Cop 'thrashes' his tribal colleague over missing pet dog, suspended

Khargone (MP): Tribal organisations in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone district have blocked highways since Wednesday night - not for roads, water or electricity. The agitators are incensed over an inspector allegedly assaulting a constable for apparent negligence that led to his pet Beagle escaping, reports Animesh Jain.Inspector Sourabh Kushwaha visited Indore on Aug 23, leaving constable Rahul Chauhan, a tribal, at his Khargone home to oversee some repair work and care for his pet. Upon returning, Kushwaha found his eight-year-old Beagle missing. The dog was later found in an injured state in a nullah on Aug 25. Constable Chauhan later alleged the inspector and his wife - enraged by the news of their pet missing - forced him to do household chores as "punishment".

Chauhan claimed Kushwaha, along with a driver and three other constables, picked him up from home around 1.30am, thrashed him with belts, and forced him to undergo an alcohol detection test.Kushwaha was suspended, and a departmental inquiry was ordered against him. He, however, claimed that he had returned home to find the house in a mess, littered with cigarette butts and liquor bottles. "Neighbours claimed they heard loud music from the house at night. The constable might have beaten the dog and thrown it in the nullah. His blood alcohol level was found as high as 190.6 mg/100 ml," Kushwah alleged.Congress MLAs Kedar Dabar, Jhuma Solanki and Montu Solanki joined the protesters on Wednesday. Meanwhile, BJP MP from Khargone-Barwani Gajendra Patel said, "We stand with tribals. Action has been taken against the inspector."