Kataka: Four persons were arrested Monday for allegedly manhandling Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ananya Awasthi during a confrontation over bursting of firecrackers in Kataka on Diwali night. The arrests were made by Lalbag police in connection with the incident at Nayasadak, where an altercation reportedly broke out between police personnel and local residents over violation of the prescribed deadline for bursting firecrackers.
According to sources, tension flared when Awasthi, a 2022-batch IPS officer, intervened and asked people to stop bursting firecrackers beyond the permitted hours. However, her intervention triggered a heated exchange with some residents, which soon escalated into a scuffle. The officer was allegedly manhandled during the altercation. Kataka DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo confirmed the arrest of four persons.
Police identified the accused by examining CCTV footage and videos of the altercation that subsequently circulated on social media. Earlier, at least 10 persons had been detained for questioning as part of the investigation. Following the incident, additional police personnel were deployed in the area.
