Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Nov 6: Three personnel attached to Pandeshwar police station have been booked for allegedly assaulting, threatening and extorting money from an electrician by stopping him late at night and forcibly taking a total of Rs 4,000 from him.
The complainant, Raviraj, originally from Vitla Mudnur, is an electrician residing in a rented house at Shivanagar, Pandeshwar. He works at a private establishment in Kankanady.
Mangaluru South police station (file photo)
According to the complaint, the first incident occurred on August 25 at around 10 pm when Raviraj was returning to his rented house after completing his evening walk at Nehru Maidan. Near the RTO office, three police personnel arrived in a Hoysala patrol vehicle. They were identified as Hiranna Benni, the driver, and police personnel Shivraj and Umanath, all attached to Pandeshwar police station.
The personnel allegedly stopped Raviraj, assaulted him with a baton on his shoulder and leg, took his mobile phone and forcibly seized Rs 300 kept inside its cover. They allegedly abused him using obscene and offensive language and threatened to send him to jail before leaving the spot.
On August 27, when Raviraj was again out for a walk at the same location, Hiranna Benni and the other personnel allegedly arrived in the Hoysala vehicle and took away his mobile phone, two ATM cards belonging to Karnataka Bank and Union Bank, Rs 1,000 in cash and the key to his two-wheeler. They allegedly instructed him to remain at the spot and left.
At around 11.30 pm, the personnel reportedly returned in the Hoysala vehicle, forcibly made him sit inside and demanded more money. When Raviraj told them that he had only ATM cards with him, they allegedly obtained his mobile phone password and checked his bank balance through the phone. After finding approximately Rs 5,000 in his account, they allegedly demanded that he pay Rs 2,000.
They reportedly threatened to register a case against him and send him to jail if he failed to pay. Raviraj pleaded with them, explaining that the money was meant for repayment of his loan and that he could not afford to pay the amount. He also requested them not to harass him as he had committed no offence.
However, the three personnel allegedly took him to an SBI ATM near Mangaladevi Temple and made him withdraw money. They reportedly seized a total of Rs 3,000 from him and left him there.
In another incident on November 4, when Raviraj was travelling on his two-wheeler, the personnel allegedly took away his vehicle key and, in a similar manner, made him sit in the Hoysala vehicle and drove him up to a mall in Pandeshwar. They also took his mobile phone and instructed him to come to the police station to collect it.
Initially, they reportedly told him that he would have to pay a fine to get his mobile phone back. Later, when Hiranna, Shivraj and Umanath allegedly continued demanding money, Raviraj said he was unable to pay and was willing to come to the police station instead.
Later that night, the personnel reportedly called Raviraj on his mobile phone and asked him to collect his two-wheeler.
Raviraj has lodged a complaint seeking legal action against the three police personnel over the alleged assault, threats, harassment and extortion.