A woman constable in Gujarat has been transferred to the police headquarters after she reportedly had an altercation with the son of a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator for violating lockdown rules in Surat, The Indian Express reported on Sunday. An inquiry was set up after the purported audio and video clips of the incident was widely circulated on social media.

Prakash Kanani, son of Varachha Road MLA and Minister of State for Health Kumar Kanani, had an argument with constable Sunita Yadav, who pointed out that he and his friends were out during curfew hours. The incident occurred on Saturday night when Yadav, who was posted in Varachha police station, was on patrol duty.

Unidentified officials told the newspaper that Yadav had stopped five youths – all without masks – travelling in a car. She reportedly snatched their car keys, after which, one of the youths called the minister’s son for help. In the video, Kanani’s son then shows up at the spot.


Follow today’s live updates of the coronavirus pandemic here


When asked why he stepped out during curfew hours, he is heard telling Yadav that he came “to help his friend”. He allegedly also threatened her that he will make her “stand at the same place for 365 days”, according to PTI. However, the woman constable allegedly responded saying she is “not his slave”. She is also seen making the man remove the “MLA Gujarat” banner from his car in the video.

Surat Police Commissioner RB Brahmbhatt has set up an inquiry into the incident under Assistant Commissioner of Police CK Patel, who had relieved constable Yadav from patrol duty. “We have set up an inquiry into the incident and will decide who was at fault, once the report is out,” Brahmbhatt told The Indian Express.

Yadav, however, reportedly resigned after the departmental inquiry was constituted against her, according to reports.

Meanwhile, the BJP legislator claimed that his son was on his way to a civil hospital where his father-in-law is undergoing treatment for the coronavirus, India Today reported. “He [the son] requested her [Yadav] to let him go,” Kanani said. “She argued why the vehicle had ‘MLA’ written on it. He said it was his father’s vehicle. She asked why he was in my vehicle. I believe she should have tried to understand what my son was saying. I believe both the sides should have tried to understand each other better.”

India on Monday recorded 28,701 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to 8,78,252. The toll in the country rose by 500 to 23,174. This is the biggest single-day jump in infections so far. More than 5.53 lakh people have recovered.