( 1 ) THIS is a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution impugning the legality of an order passed by the Additional Superintendent of Police, Varanasi, dated 10-11-1955, reducing the petitioner in rank for a period of two years, and also of an order of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eastern Range, Varanasi dated 26-6-1956 dismissing the petitioners appeal against the aforesaid order of reduction, and of the order of the Inspector General of Police, Uttar Pradesh dated 20-3-1957, rejecting the petitioners revision petition.

( 2 ) THE facts, as stated in the petitioners affidavit are these :

He was enlisted in the U. P. Police force in 1931 and claims to have a good record of meritorious service (this claim is not denied by the State ). On 15-8-3955, the petitioner was posted as Station Officer-in-charge of the Police station at Moghalsarai in the district of Varanasi. Just before that time a firing had taken place in the State of Bihar, as a result of which several students had died. This led to agitation among the students in Uttar Pradesh as well and demonstration took place on 15th August. A large crowd of students and others collected at Moghalsar