The Ghaziabad police have ordered an inquiry after a video circulated on social media showing a police officer allegedly intimidating residents of a slum cluster by claiming a device could determine if they are illegal immigrants. The incident, which occurred during what police describe as a “routine area domination exercise,” has sparked controversy and led to demands for accountability.
The video, widely shared online, shows a senior police officer placing what appears to be a smartphone on the back of a man and declaring the individual was “from Bangladesh.”
The officer is heard telling a woman and a man, “Don’t tell a lie; we have a machine that can detect a lie.” Throughout the exchange, the woman and a minor girl standing next to her insist they are from Araria in Bihar and show documents on a mobile phone, but the group of half a dozen or so personnel appear unconvinced.
DCP (Trans-Hindon) Nimish Patil confirmed the video was recorded during an “area domination exercise” carried out by Kaushambi police station officials, alongside Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel in the slum area of Bihari Market area on December 23.
Senior police officials, who asked not to be identified, said the officer seen in the video is the station house officer of Kaushambi police station. However, police have not officially identified him, citing the pending enquiry in the matter.
In response to the video, police said the exercise was part of routine security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year. “It was only an area domination exercise… It was during this that the video surfaced, and an inquiry has been ordered, which has been assigned to ACP of Indirapuram circle,” DCP Patil said.
An area domination exercise typically involves a visible police and paramilitary presence in sensitive or high-population areas to deter crime, ensure public order, and gather intelligence.
The affected family has alleged that police officials tried to intimidate them by claiming they were Bangladeshi. Mohammad Saddique, 76, the man in the video, said personnel argued with his 22-year-old daughter about the machine. “We showed them all the required proof that we are natives of Bihar,” said Saddique, who sells fish and has lived in Ghaziabad since 1987.
Curated by Aisha Patel
