A crash, a riot and a near lynching of policemen

Around 10.40 pm, a traffic police team on duty near Fire Force Station was checking drivers and two-wheeler riders for drunken driving. Laxman Reddy (38), riding a two-wheeler, on seeing the policemen took a U-turn and rammed into a pedestrian, Ravi. In the melee, both men fell down and sustained injuries.

Meanwhile, a group of men that witnessed the accident ran to rescue the injured and ended up picking up a fight among themselves on whether it was the rider or the pedestrian who was responsible for the accident and which hospital they were to be admitted. Some more, apparently under the influence of alcohol joined them and the discussion became more noisy and fractious.

In the meantime, traffic cops alerted their colleagues responsible for law and order. Two constables - Anil Kumar and Sholapur - on a Cheetah vehicle  arrived at the spot and ordered the mob to disperse.

The crowd was in no mood to obey the constables. A few started shouting at them and within seconds, pounced on them and started raining blows. A few took away used tyres from a nearby vulcanising shop, threw them on the road and set fire to them.

The two cops left their bike and fled to safety. The mob chased the men in khaki and started throwing stones. The drama lasted more than 20 minutes and things came under control only after police reinforcements arrived and rescued their two colleagues.

The injured constables are being treated at K R Hospital while Laxman, the two-wheeler rider and the injured pedestrian were taken to another hospital. A complaint and counter-complaint were registered at Banaswadi Police Station.