Two Bengaluru cops suspended for harassing couple on road

Bengaluru, Dec 11 (IANS) Two policemen in Bengaluru were suspended for allegedly harassing a couple and imposing a fine of Rs 1,000 for roaming on the road after 11 p.m.

A head constable and a constable attached to the Sampigehalli police station were suspended by Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East division) Anoop A. Shetty on Sunday after the incident came to light.

"Two police personnel from Samigehalli police station responsible for the incident have been identified, suspended and departmental action initiated. Bengaluru police will not tolerate deviant behaviour from its staff," the DCP tweeted in response to a series of tweets by one Karthik Patri narrating the harassment meted out to them by the police personnel on Hosyala patrolling duty on the night of December 8.

The victim wrote that he and his wife were walking back home near Manyata Tech Park around 12.30 a.m. after attending a friend's cake-cutting ceremony.

Two men in uniform asked the couple to show identity cards. Though taken aback, the couple showed photos of their Aadhar cards on their mobile phones.

"To our surprise, they took our phones away and started quizzing us about our relationship, place of work, parental details, etc," the victim tweeted.

Not stopping at that, the cops issued a challan saying 'you are not allowed to roam on the road after 11 p.m.'.

Though the couple apologised and assured that they will not venture out at night, the policemen refused to let them go and demanded Rs 3,000 as penalty.

The cops even showed them pictures of convicts and threatened us of dire consequences if they didn't pay up.

"I could barely hold my nerve, while my wife was in tears. Perhaps realising that they had pushed a woman too far and fearing the legal consequences, they changed tack. They said only I would be penalised. The man in the driving seat took me aside and advised that I pay a minimum amount to avoid further trouble."

Karthik said he paid Rs 1,000 by scanning PayTM QR code given by the cops. They allowed the couple to go with a warning that if seen walking on the road at midnight, they would register a strong case.

"We couldn't sleep that night or focus on work the next day. The whole incident has left a deep scar on our minds. It has shaken our faith in the law-enforcement agencies," wrote Karthik and asked Bengaluru police "Is this not terrorism, is this not legalised torture? Is this how honest, law-abiding citizens of this land are meant to be treated?"