FIR after BBMP razes police outpost built on footpath

The demolition of a discarded police outpost during a footpath clearance drive resulted in a criminal complaint. But the case is headed for closure as the BBMP and the local corporator have promised to build a new outpost in the same place.

The outpost at Islampur Circle in eastern Bengaluru was demolished on January 14 during a footpath clearance drive supervised by HAL Airport Corporator N Manjunath and the local BBMP engineer.

Govindaraju B G, an officer attached to the HAL police station, had noticed the demolished outpost during an inspection. Residents later told him what had happened. Govindaraju filed a police complaint, which was later registered as an FIR. The corporator and the engineer were booked for mischief, trespass and deterring government servants from discharging their duty.

The outpost was put up a few years ago but was no longer in use. It had no signboard or other policing paraphernalia either. Speaking to DH, Manjunath said the place housed an eatery (biryani house) earlier. When the eatery was closed down (because the footpath is built on a stormwater drain), the place was allocated for the HAL police who intended to use it as an outpost. No policeman, however, ever used it, the corporator maintained.

Manjunath expressed dismay at being named in the FIR but promised to get the outpost rebuilt. A senior police officer confirmed that both the BBMP and the corporator had promised to rebuild the outpost in the same place. “Although we have registered an FIR, detailed inquiries led us to believe that the outpost was no longer in use,” he said. “Following the BBMP promise, we will file a ‘B’ report before the court and seek a closure of the case.”