BENGALURU: In a scene straight out of movies, a Good Samaritan was chased by goons and threatened by one of the arrested rowdies in the police station, even as the men in uniform made small talk with the offender.
27-year-old Mayank Chauhan, a resident of Jogupalya and techie, was trying to help a street vendor, who was being beaten up by three goons on Thursday. What unfolded next shocked Mayank. Saving the poor street vendor nearly cost him his life and police, instead of promising him safety and security, threatened him.
Mayank told DC, “I decided to go out for dinner around 7.30 pm on Thursday. I was on the phone when I saw a street fight outside my society. Three people – Prakash, Antony and one unidentified man — were mercilessly beating a street vendor, who does business near my house. I told the vendor to take his stuff and leave, and walked off.”
As Mayank walked towards a shop, someone hit him from behind. “I was taken aback and my phone slipped out of my hand. When I turned, the same goons were trying to hit me again. I ran inside a shop to save myself, but the goon chased me inside and started throwing empty bottles at me. The shopkeeper instead of helping me, asked me to get out of his premises. I ran out, with the goons still chasing me,” he said.
“I had a small chance and I called up the police. After what seemed like ages, my call got connected and I informed the police about the incident. They arrived at the spot around 8 pm and managed to catch hold of one of the miscreants, Antony. Then we went to the police station.”
Bengaluru police too scared to book local goons and letting them walk, Mayank said. “One of the rowdies who assaulted me is said to be a notorious habitual offender from the area and has been arrested several times. It was clear that Antony, who was caught, had smoked marijuana. He threatened me with cops rpesent and said, ‘You meet me outside. I will chop you into pieces...’ The cops were smiling and chatting with him as he is a regular visitor there.”
Mayank, who was already made to wait for over an hour, started videographing the entire incident. “A police officer raised his hand as if to hit me. The policemen made me wait for over two hours and gave me an acknowledgment only around 10 pm, after which they allowed me to go,” he said.
Cops here to protect, not harass: DCP
Taking serious note of the issue, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) N. Sathish Kumar said, “The police are here to protect the people and not to harass them. I will look into the matter at the earliest and any negligence on the part of policemen will not be tolerated. I have ordered an internal inquiry into the matter and a suitable action will be initiated."
