Police have launched an inquiry into an incident in which a girl was slapped as she clung to her father during his arrest at Geneva Camp in Mohammadpur on Thursday.

In the footage, the child was seen crying and holding onto her father while someone in the crowd slaps him, hitting the girl in the process as several uniformed police officers stand nearby.

Police yesterday said the man, identified as Rustam, was arrested during a raid in connection with a clash between two drug-trading groups in the area.

Earlier that day, 20-year-old Md Zahid was killed in a crude bomb explosion during the clash.

After the video went viral, many criticised the police, saying that while they have the right to arrest suspects, such actions were unacceptable.

Jewel Rana, additional deputy commissioner of DMP's Tejgaon division, told The Daily Star, "We have seen the video. Someone from the crowd slapped him; only the hand was visible. We will investigate further."

He said it has not yet been confirmed whether the person who struck the man and the child was a police officer or a civilian.