The visuals of a Dalit woman being beaten by a cop in public in Bihar's Sitamarhi has raised concerns over police brutality and prompted a public demand for action. But the police claim the cop was only trying to maintain order after a fight erupted between two sides in a kidnapping case.

Inspector Rajkishore Singh, in-charge of Surasand police station, was seen thrashing the woman on the street with a stick. He struck her multiple times in the Surasand market amid angry exchanges by a crowd, showed a video.

The cop was filmed in his uniform during the incident, triggering an outrage among the public.

Sitamarhi Police, in a statement, said a probe has been ordered into the incident.

The police action allegedly came in a bid to separate two women who were fighting on the street.

Vinod Kumar, Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), said in a video statement that the incident is linked to the kidnapping of a girl.

"The girl was rescued, but the two sides visited the police station and engaged in a fight among themselves outside. This led to a traffic jam on the road and the cop used his baton to disperse the crowd," he clarified.