Updated: January 2, 2026

The Ghaziabad Police have ordered an inquiry after a video circulated widely on social media showed a police officer allegedly intimidating residents of a slum cluster by claiming a device could determine their nationality. The incident has sparked public outrage and calls for accountability.

What the Video Shows

The video, recorded during a “routine area domination exercise” in the Bihari Market slum area, shows a senior police officer placing what appears to be a smartphone on the back of a man. The officer then allegedly declares that the man is “from Bangladesh.”

During the interaction, the officer is heard telling a woman and a man, “Don’t tell a lie; we have a machine that can detect a lie.” The woman and a minor girl standing beside her insist they are from Araria in Bihar and present documents stored on a mobile phone. Despite this, the officer and a group of about half a dozen personnel appear unconvinced.

Police Response

DCP (Trans-Hindon) Nimish Patil confirmed that the video was recorded during a routine area domination exercisecarried out by Kaushambi police station officials, along with personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF), on December 23, 2025, ahead of the Christmas and New Year period.

Patil clarified that the exercise was meant to ensure public order, deter crime, and gather intelligence in sensitive or densely populated areas. “It was only an area domination exercise… It was during this that the video surfaced, and an inquiry has been ordered, which has been assigned to the ACP of Indirapuram circle,” he said.

Officer Identification

Senior police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the officer seen in the video is the station house officer (SHO) of Kaushambi police station, but his identity has not been officially released due to the ongoing inquiry.

Allegations of Intimidation

The affected family has alleged that police officials tried to intimidate them by claiming they were Bangladeshi nationals.

Mohammad Saddique, 76, the man featured in the video, said the officers even argued with his 22-year-old daughterabout the alleged “machine.” “We showed them all the required proof that we are natives of Bihar,” Saddique said. He added that he has been a resident of Ghaziabad since 1987 and works as a fish seller.

The incident has raised concerns about the misuse of authority and intimidation tactics during such exercises, and civil society activists have demanded strict accountability for officers involved.

Background on Area Domination Exercises

An area domination exercise involves the visible deployment of police and paramilitary forces in sensitive or high-density localities. These exercises aim to:

• Deter criminal activity
• Ensure law and order
• Collect intelligence on local issues

While these exercises are routine, critics have warned that excessive or discriminatory enforcement can harm community trust and alienate residents.

Public Reaction

The video has sparked widespread online debate, with many questioning the legitimacy of claiming a device can detect nationality. Social media users have criticized the targeting of long-term residents and demanded clarification from the police.

Authorities have assured that the inquiry will determine the facts and take appropriate action based on findings.

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