IPS officer's driver, B'lore Club guard file police complaints

The untoward incident which took place at Bangalore Club on Wednesday evening, in which the car driver of a senior IPS officer and a security guard of the club were involved, has taken a new twist with both the parties lodging police complaints against each other.

Around 4.30 pm on Wednesday, ADGP (Railways) R P Sharma, a Civil Service member of the club, arrived at the club to meet a friend. The security guard at the gate on Residency Road stopped Sharma’s car, asked for a valid pass and denied entry to the vehicle.

Subsequently, there were heated exchanges between the driver and the guard. Following the commotion, a supervisor who arrived there identified Sharma and allowed the IPS officer’s car inside the club premises.

The officer’s car driver later lodged a complaint with the Cubbon Park police that the guard had abused him.

However, the matter took a new turn on Thursday with the Bangalore Club claiming that Sharma’s driver had assaulted security guard Ashiq Uddin Lasker after he asked for the membership card.

Col H P M Soans, honorary secretary of the club, said a private agency, to which the club’s security has been outsourced, has filed a complaint against the driver.
Soans said: “This is uncalled for as the guard was merely doing his duty, which conforms to the byelaws of the club pertaining to checking of entry of vehicles from the Residency Road gate.”

Sharma entered the club with two police vehicles. However, according to the club byelaws, only cars of club members are allowed through the Residency Road gate and cars must have club stickers affixed on the windshield, he said.

“Sharma’s action is contrary to the byelaw. A copy of the Rules and Byelaws of the club were earlier given to Sharma,”  Soans said.

Reacting to the charges, Sharma told Deccan Herald that nobody had been assaulted. “There are CCTV cameras at the gate and one can ascertain the facts. Such statements are false and the club is using its institutional powers to mislead the public to cover up its failure to ensure conducive entry to its members.”

He said he was in no way connected with the alleged incident of assault, if at all it had taken place, as has been alleged. “I was in uniform and inside my official car with a police flag on it. Rules prevent a police vehicle from having the sticker of a private club. The rules are there to facilitate the members to enjoy the benefits of the club, but not to obstruct them.”

Sharma said the matter was under investigation and the law would take its own course.

The Cubbon Park police said that a complaint had been filed against the driver under Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC.