Police misuse of power: 2 more cases come to light

Police misuse of power: 2 more cases come to light

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Feb 23: Two more cases in which police officers on duty have allegedly misused their power and assaulted innocent people have come to light. 

On Feb 5, Nanjunde Gowda, the circle inspector of Bantwal and a team of constables, allegedly barged into a suspect’s house and assaulted his mother. 

The suspect, Noushir (22) is based in West Asia and is accused of being involved in extortion activities. He is also the main accused in a shootout that took place recently. Superintendent Dr. A S Rao says that the team had gone to Noushir’s house to get a copy of his passport and financial documents so that they could serve a “red corner notice” on him and get him extradited. The police had to employ force because the family resisted the search, said the SP. 

However, the suspect’s sister Toufiya (16) says that the inspector hit her mother Ayesha (60) so hard that she lost some of her teeth. The police arrived at 12:30 a.m. when only Toufiya, her grandparents, and her mother were at home. Toufiya said that, when the police started searching the house, her mother wanted to know why they were doing so, but Mr. Gowda hit her. When her grandfather tried to intervene, the inspector pushed him onto the floor. Toufiya said that her grandfather and mother had to take treatment. 

On Feb 12, M H Rekha Bai, the sub inspector of Barke police and her driver, who is also a police constable, allegedly assaulted shop owner Keshavdas and Vageshwari his wife in Kudroli. 

Ms Vageshwari lodged a complaint at the State Human Rights Commission and said that the constable was under the influence of alcohol when he assaulted Keshavadas with a lathi. Allegedly, the constable had a grouse because Keshavadas would not allow him to take things from the shop, free of charge. According to the complaint, Mr. Keshavdas was dragged to the police station and a case was filed against him on grounds that he had attacked a police officer on duty. 

When questioned about it, Mr. Rao said that Ramesh, the additional superintendent of police, was investigating both these cases.