A station house officer at Kaushambi police station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has been subjected to disciplinary measures after multiple videos circulating on social media depicted him employing a mobile phone as an improvised "detection device" to falsely identify residents as Bangladeshi nationals during a routine verification operation in the Bhowapur slum cluster.
The incident unfolded on December 23, 2025, as part of intensified area domination exercises involving local police, Rapid Action Force, and Central Reserve Police Force units, aimed at verifying identities and detecting potential illegal immigrants, including suspected Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi infiltrators residing in temporary settlements across the district.
Station House Officer Ajay Sharma approached a resident and his daughter in the slum, inquiring about their origins. The daughter promptly asserted that the family hailed from Araria district in Bihar, displayed relevant documents via her mobile phone, and noted that they had been living in the area since 1986. Undeterred, Sharma accused them of deception, directed a constable to place a smartphone against the man's back, and declared that the "machine" had confirmed he was from Bangladesh, ostensibly to exert psychological pressure.
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Assistant Commissioner of Police Abhishek Srivastava acknowledged the footage, stating that Sharma had received a formal warning and admonishment for utilizing improper tactics, even as he described the method as an attempt to compel truthful disclosures. An internal inquiry has been launched under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Nimish Patil to scrutinize the full circumstances and ensure adherence to established protocols.
The viral videos triggered significant public backlash, with political leaders and social media users decrying the approach as demeaning, unconstitutional, and reflective of broader concerns over profiling in verification drives. Critics highlighted the potential for harassment, while authorities emphasized that standard procedures prioritize dignity and evidence-based checks, with no specific directives authorizing such unconventional methods.
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