In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Muslim police sub-inspector Intezar Ali has been fired for having a beard.
SP Abhishek Singh of Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district says that permission is required before having a beard in the police. Intezar Ali grew a beard without permission, which is why he has been fired.
Abhishek Singh says that according to the police manual, only Sikhs are allowed to have beards while all other police personnel must keep their faces clean.
The position of the Muslim police officer is that he asked for permission several times but no one even bothered to give an answer. He had also applied in November 2019. If he kept his beard, he was fired.
Intezar Ali said, "I have been serving in the UP police for 25 years and till today no one has stopped me from growing a beard."
The sub-inspector admitted that the elders had asked him to shave last year but he did not shave. He had a light beard at the beginning but had grown it in the last two years.
According to the report, Sub-Inspector Intezar Ali had been serving in the police for 25 years. He was recruited as a constable in 1994.
