Traffic cops beat up youth after argument on not wearing helmet

In yet another case of brutality by men in khaki, a young man was dragged and beaten up mercilessly by three traffic police personnel after the youth objected to the "foul" language used by them.

Prakash, 21, who had gone for shopping with his mother and sister in a scooter in the business hub of T Nagar, in the heart of Chennai, was stopped by the policemen for not wearing a helmet.

The Traffic Police after beating him also slapped a case against him and lodged him in Puzhal jail. He was booked under Section 322 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and Section 427 (mischief causing damage to the tune of fifty rupees or more).

In two videos that went viral on the social media on Tuesday, Prakash, who is working as a cab driver, is seen arguing in an aggressive tone with the traffic policemen and refusing to pay fine for not wearing helmet citing "ill behaviour"  of one of the men on duty while stopping his scooter.

In the argument that ensued after the youth refused to pay fine, his hands seem to accidentally brush the epaulette (one of the stars) of a policeman and it fell down, the men in khaki then began thrashing Prakash by almost tying him to an electric pole.

Loud cries of Prakash's mother did not move the policemen on duty and they kept thrashing the young lad. After the videos went viral on the social media leading to an outrage, Chennai Police came out with an official statement "detailing the events" that led to the arrest and subsequent jailing of Prakash.

"When Prakash was asked to pay fine, he behaved in a rude manner and began to shout in the middle of the road. He also punched on the face of sub-inspector Suresh and damaged the walkie-talkie device used by the personnel. He was overpowered immediately and was arrested," the statement said. After being produced before a court, the youth was sent to jail.

The incident created an uproar on the social media with several people condemning the "arrogant behaviour" of the policemen, while noting that the youth should have also followed rules. The incident comes within a month of a woman, who was purportedly pregnant, losing her life after falling from her two-wheeler which was being chased by policemen since her husband did not wear a helmet.