Updated
Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 11: Two police personnel who intercepted a couple Karthik Patri and his wife late night on Friday and made the couple pay fine of Rs 1,000 over their late night walk on the road in Bengaluru, were suspended. The two officers belonged to Sampigehalli police station.
DCP North East Anoop A Shetty tweeted, “Two police personnel from @sampigehallips responsible for the incident have been identified, suspended and departmental action initiated. @BlrCityPolice will not tolerate deviant behaviour from its staff.@DCPNEBCP @Karthik_Patri.”
It may be recalled, the two officers had demanded Rs 3,000 as fine from the couple who are residents of a society close to Manyata Tech Park, and also asked for details like Aadhar number. Karthik Patri shared the traumatic incident through his twitter handle. The DCP who took notice of the incident, had asked the residents to bring such incidents to the notice of the police.
Earlier report
Bengaluru: 'Hoysala Police' harass, fine married couple for walking in street after 11 pm
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 11: In a traumatic incident, Bengaluru residents Karthik Patri and his wife encountered harassment from Hoysala police unit. According to a series of tweets posted by Karthik, he has narrated the incident in detail. In response to his tweets, Bengaluru North DCP Anup A Shetty asked Karthik to provide them the exact location and full details. Bengaluru city police also responded to the tweet asking for contact details of Karthik.
DCP Anup also clarified that, there no rule in Bengaluru that one should not roam in the streets.
Karthik Patri - Photo - Twitter profile
Karthik Patri, resident of Manyata Tech Park society, says in his tweet, "I would like to share a traumatic incident my wife and I encountered the night before. It was around 12:30 midnight. My wife and I were walking back home after attending a friend’s cake-cutting ceremony (We live in a society behind Manyata Tech park).
"We were a few metres away from our entrance gate when a pink Hoysala patrol van stopped by us. Two men in police uniforms asked us to show our ID cards. We were taken aback. Why should an adult couple walking on the street on a normal day be asked to show their ID cards?
"Anyway, we had nothing on us except our phones and a box of cake. Luckily, we had photos of our Aadhar cards. We promptly showed them to them. To our surprise, they took our phones away and started quizzing us about our relationship, place of work,parental details, etc."
"Though a bit shaken, we answered their questions politely. At this point, one of them took out what looked like a challan book and started noting down our names and Aadhaar numbers. Sensing trouble, we asked why we were being issued a challan.
“You are not allowed to roam on the road after 11 pm,” one of them retorted. Struck by the absurdity of the reason, we persisted: “Is there such a rule? We are unaware about it.” “Literate people like you should know about such rules,” he shot back.
"Although not convinced, we decided to back down. It was late in the night; our phones had been confiscated; there was no help in sight; and the least we wanted was a confrontation with two policemen.
"We apologised for being ignorant about the rule and assured them of not venturing out at night again. We thought we were over it, but it was as if the two men were waiting for this moment. They refused to let us go and demanded Rs 3,000 as penalty. Our hearts sunk.
"It was clear as day that the two men (tragic if they were indeed policemen) were out to con unsuspecting civilians, and we ended up being their victims. We literally begged them to let us go, but they wouldn’t budge.
"They showed us pictures of convicts and threatened us of dire consequences if we didn’t pay up. I could barely hold my nerve, while my wife was in tears. Perhaps realizing that they had pushed a woman too far and fearing the legal consequences, they changed tack.
"They said only I would be penalized. The man in the driving seat took me aside and advised that I pay a minimum amount to avoid further trouble. By now I was mentally drained and exhausted, my wife was terribly distressed, I didn’t want the ordeal to prolong even more.
"I agreed to pay Rs 1,000 and get done with it. The man immediately held up a PayTM QR code, waited for me to scan it and make the payment, and let us ago with a stern warning: “If I and my wife are ever seen walking on road at midnight, they would register a strong case.
"... against us and ensure that we keep circling around the court.” We couldn’t sleep that night or focus on work the next day. The whole incident has left a deep scar on our minds. It has shaken our faith in the law-enforcement agencies,” he stated in the tweets.
At the end of the tweet, Karthik pleaded with city police, "My humble questions to the Bengaluru City Police @BlrCityPolice.”
"Is this not terrorism, is this not legalized torture? Is this how honest, low-abiding citizens of this land are meant to be treated?" he questioned the horrific behaviour of the police personnel.
Karthik ended the tweet with, "If the protectors of law themselves break the law and prey on hapless citizens, whom do we turn to? @CPBlr @PoliceBangalore.”