In Ballia, ADG Varanasi and DIG Azamgarh have uncovered an illegal extortion racket amounting to approximately ₹1.50 crore per month at Narhi police station. Their joint operation led to the arrest of 22 individuals, including two policemen, while several others remain at large. These policemen allegedly extorted money from trucks, with brokers stopping vehicles at the Bharouli border, searching them, and demanding money to let them proceed.
This revelation has raised concerns about police conduct in UP. Former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav criticized the government on social media, stating, “A new game is going on in Uttar Pradesh: Earlier there used to be ‘thief-police’ and in the BJP rule it is happening ‘police-police’. This is the exposure of zero tolerance against crime.” The state government, however, calls it a significant step against corruption.
In response, the government appointed a new Superintendent of Police in Ballia, and the DIG held a meeting with the new SP. Trucks entering Uttar Pradesh from Buxar, Bihar, were reportedly stopped at the Bharouli border, where police demanded a fixed amount from each truck. Around 1,000 trucks pass through this border daily.
Azamgarh local journalist Manav Srivastava reported that the DIG disclosed a ₹500 fee was taken from each truck. He noted that this illegal practice had been ongoing for a long time but only now have the culprits been caught.
A police officer, speaking anonymously, said that smuggling of red sand, liquor, and animals has been happening at the border, but this is the first large-scale arrest operation. Border police stations have long been notorious for corruption. The state government stated that the strict action taken reflects Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s zero tolerance towards corruption.
ADG of Varanasi Zone Piyush Mordia and DIG Vaibhav Krishna led the operation. Disguised as truck helpers, they reached the Bharouli check post at 1:30 AM, where their team caught the policemen and brokers demanding money. The sudden action caused police personnel and inspectors to flee, though some were captured. The SHOs of Narhi and Korantadih have been suspended.
The operation was planned over several days after DGP Prashant Kumar received a complaint about illegal extortion from trucks coming from Buxar. Lower-level officers confirmed the complaint, leading to a raid by a 24-member police team led by the ADG.
The team found two notebooks containing evidence of months of extortion. They arrested 22 people, including two policemen, but the SHO and inspector escaped. Nine policemen, including Narhi police station in-charge Pannalal, have been suspended and charged.
Azamgarh DIG Vaibhav Krishna, part of the ADG’s team, told the media that the decision to raid was made after confirming information through reconnaissance. The campaign details were kept secret from the Ballia SP to avoid leaks, and he was informed only after the raid began.
The government has ordered a vigilance inquiry into the properties of the CO and the suspended policemen. This surprise raid is not unprecedented; former DGP of UP Police. Vikram Singh conducted similar operations during his tenure to curb police corruption. Singh emphasized the need for such campaigns at every border and suggested dismissing any policemen involved in bribery to create a deterrent effect.