Cops assault man for arguing with plainclothesman

A citizen was arrested, assaulted severely by the police and also prevented from being admitted to a hospital for treatment on Saturday.

Afroz Pasha was riding on his motorbike near Banashankari on Friday afternoon and got into an argument with Suresh – a constable from Tilak Park – who was in civilian clothes. The argument grew into a verbal duel, and Suresh assaulted Pasha. He was then taken to the Tilak Park police station, where he was put behind bars.

Angered by the ‘daring’ of Pasha and the incident, the police apparently subjected him to torture at the station. Pasha’s body carries the impressions of the assault, and was unable to sit up or walk.

“I argued with him (Suresh) as he was in civilian clothes; I was unaware that he was a police constable. For my fault, I would say, I can definitely be subjected to legal punishment. But torturing me – with four to five police staff members assaulting me – would prove unjust. I kept begging this, falling at their feet, but they continued, ignoring my plea and warning against my ‘guts’ to question a policeman,” said a weeping Pasha, who spoke to mediapersons.

Also, as this was an outcome of police violence, the doctors at the government hospital refused to treat Pasha. “They told me to go elsewhere, but were later forced to admit to the hospital,” he added.

The complaint of Tumakuru citizens that the police behaviour is not people-friendly, grew in strength with Pasha’s incident. Women in the district too have been complaining about being treated badly by the police, whenever they visit the station to file complaints. Manjula Manasa, chairperson of the Women’s Commission, had said in a press conference in the City recently that the most number of cases of ill-treatment of women in the district are by the police.