IPS Prabhakar Chaudhary shunted after lathi charge on kanwariyas in Bareilly; his 21st transfer in a decade

The Uttar Pradesh government undertook a major reshuffle in the police department on Sunday night. An order was issued late evening, in which 14 IPS officers have been transferred and posted. Among those transferred include popular SSP of Bareilly Prabhakar Chaudhary. Belonging to the 2010 batch of IPS officers, Prabhakar Chowdhary has faced more than 20  transfers in over a decade of service, sparking discussions and theories regarding the circumstance under which the transfer was initiated. According to reports, a lathi charge order on kanwariyas in Bareilly on Sunday is said to be the reason behind his transfer to Lucknow-based 32nd Battalion of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), raising eyebrows among many.

According to reports, kanwariyas carried out their pilgrimage in an unauthorised route on Sunday and clashed with women protesting their passage. Despite SSP Prabhakar Chaudhary's attempts to pacify the situation, the kanwariyas didn't cooperate, leading to a lathi charge and the use of tear gas shells by the police.

In defense of the lathi charge, SSP Prabhakar Chaudhary stated that the kanwariyas were determined to take the disputed route, despite efforts to persuade them otherwise. He further alleged that some kanwariyas hurled uncivilised slogans at the police, were intoxicated and also carried illegal weapons, contributing to the volatile situation.

The SSP's statement seemingly triggered his transfer just hours after he gave orders to lathi charge a group of kanwariyas, prompting discussions on social media, with several users questioning the government's actions and making allegations against the kanwariyas. Amidst the controversy, some have also begun discussing other related incidents. The matter continues to be a topic of debate, and the implications of this transfer order raise concerns about maintaining law and order during religious events while upholding the principles of public safety.

Who is Prabhakar Chaudhary?

Prabhakar Chaudhary, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar, UP, is a 2010 batch IPS officer. He completed his LLB after doing BSc from Allahabad University. Since childhood, he was interested in reading and used to study for 5-6 hours daily. He received 76 per cent marks in high school and intermediate, then cleared BSc with 61 per cent marks. After clearing his civil services exam in one go, Prabhakar Chowdhary opted to become and IPS officer and incidentally, got his home cadre Uttar Pradesh. He started his career as an under-training Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Noida and has served in police departments across the state, including in Ballia, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Varanasi and Kanpur.

Prabhakar Chaudhary is known for old style policing that follows the rulebook. He is against the prevailing encounter culture in Uttar Pradesh. IPS Chaudhary often has to face the ire of political leaders for not toeing their line and following the rulebook.

In a departure from custom, Prabhakar Chaudhary chose to travel to his office in a tempo and a state roads bus in 2016 when he was appointed the SP of Kanpur Dehat. He also made news when he oversaw a rescue effort in Kanpur Dehat and drove injured persons to the hospital in his own vehicle.

When he was handed control of the Mathura area in 2017, he took action against illegal companies involving silver dealers, the mafia, and local gangs. He also exposed numerous instances of looting. Within three months of being stationed there, he was transferred out of the district.

Prabhakar Chaudhary was appointed the ASP of Sitapur on June 30, 2018, but he was moved within six months.

In 2019, Prabhakar Chaudhary replaced Salman Taj Patil as the police chief of Sonbhadra when 10 people were killed and at least 28 injured in clashes over land ownership in this district. A village headman and his allies opened fire on a tribe of tribal members over a land dispute, which led to the confrontations.