Rajasthan Police on Saturday night suspended a policeman, seven days after a female vendor suffered serious burns when boiling water was poured on her during an alleged police action to remove street vendors from Mahal Road in Jaipur ahead of Prime Minister Bhajanlal Sharma’s convoy, sparking widespread outrage.
Constable Narendra was suspended after the woman’s sister filed a case on Monday alleging that the police acted high-handedly without any prior warning or instructions to vacate the area.
Boiling water allegedly fell on Rishu Gupta after a policeman allegedly pushed and overturned the vendor’s cart following an altercation on June 19 on Mahal Road in Jagatpura. She said that boiling water fell on her arms, chest, stomach and thighs, causing severe burns.
The state government announced that it would bear the costs of the victim’s treatment, provide financial assistance and allocate a dairy stall to help rehabilitate the family’s livelihood.
Meanwhile, Greater Jaipur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Om Kasera and Deputy Commissioner Neelam Meena visited the Guptas’ residence at Vyas Apartments in Pratap Nagar. The officials met the family and inquired about their condition and assured them of all possible support from the state government.
The woman said they belong to Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh and moved to Jaipur with her sister and mother after their father’s death. She added that she created the momo cart to support the family and that it is their primary source of income.
The woman said in her complaint that there was no police presence or warning before Sharma’s convoy arrived. “No one asked me to move. Without any warning, the policemen deployed there suddenly overturned the boiling water container in my Momo cart. I tried to stop them and told them that there was boiling water and that I would move the cart myself, but they did not listen.”
The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission (RSHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident. The committee sought factual reports from the Jaipur Police Commissioner, Jaipur District Collector and Police Detective (East) Ranjita Sharma and directed them to submit the current status of the case and details of the action taken so far.
It also asked the authorities to clarify whether any public servant has been found responsible for the incident and, if so, what legal action has been taken against the officials concerned, including whether an FIR has been registered. The committee also directed the administration to ensure that the victim receives appropriate medical treatment and any compensation permitted under the law.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for July 14.
The opposition continued its pressure on the government regarding the incident. Opposition leader Tikaram Jolly visited the victim at her home, while former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra criticized the state government over the issue through social media posts.
