Recently, senior citizens and a few mediapersons who had dropped into Bangalore City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari's office, on Infantry Road, were at the receiving end of a senior IPS officer’s whims.
Despite parking at the allotted parking space, adjoining the commissioner's residence, they were in for a rude shock.
So engrossed was the IPS officer, Kuchanna Srinivasan (who is of Additional Director-General rank and heads the Karnataka State Reserve Police), with his game of tennis, that he let his high-end car stay parked haphazardly close to the commissioner’s residence.
Srinivasan arrived at the tennis court at about 7 pm to try his hand at tennis. Outside the courts, his car was parked in such a manner that no car or two-wheeler could get past.
The guard and other harrowed drivers, including the IPS officer’s chauffeur, looked for Srinivasan.
Apprehensive that his boss would not spare him for disturbing him on the courts, the IPS officer’s chauffeur refused to disclose his identity. But moved by the plight of several car owners stuck in the snarl, the driver apologised, saying: “Sorry, I am helpless. I am under instructions not to remove the car until he finishes the game. He was angry with the sentry and ordered me to park the vehicle this way.”
Helpless public, mediamen and photographers were forced to watch amateurs swinging their racquets occasionally and the tennis ball crossing the court at a snail's pace.
Later, after finishing the game, the frustrated people approached Srinivasan and his friends for a marathon convincing talk. Srinivasan reluctantly asked forgiveness while his friends supported his 'parking sense'.