This constable was only doing his duty, flagging down three men riding a motorbike. But all he got in return were multiple fractures, bruises, and a shocking suspension order.
Recuperating at Balaji Nursing Home in NR Colony, Arun, a traffic police constable attached to Thyagaraj Nagar police station, told Deccan Herald, “Today, I am shattered. I was proud of wearing the khaki uniform all these days. But with this incident, I have my own doubts about the (police) department.”
“I was happy, hoping that the truth will prevail...And by 7 pm when I heard I was suspended, I was shattered. I’ve no trust in God, too. I don’t really understand why this incident (the scuffle with the three advocates) was blown out of proportion...That too, three days later after the incident,” Arun, a native of Ramanagara, said with tears in his eyes.
He recalled, “I was posted at a designated point. I spotted three men riding a motorbike and asked them why they were triple-riding and why the rider was not wearing a helmet. Balakrishna, an advocate who was riding the bike, was the first to rain blows on me. He abused me and called me names. He was soon joined by two others — Lloyd Preetham D’Souza and Raghavendra, who too are lawyers. “They were in no mood to listen to me while I tried to explain why we were checking vehicles. I was only carrying out the orders of my seniors,” said Arun.
Balakrishna, Raghavendra and D’Souza were all treated well at the police station, says Arun. They are law graduates and practise in different courts. When they were produced before the magistrate, they did not utter a word.
“When the magistrate asked them whether they were tortured or ill treated at the police station, they did not say anything. How is that, now, after three days (of the incident) they are claiming they were beaten up? Isn’t it ridiculous,” asked Arun.
Thanking the public for saving him from the clutches of the three lawyers, Arun said: “If not for the alert public, my condition would have been worse.”