BENGALURU: Although Home Minister K J George clearly said that aggrieved citizens can approach any police station to file a complaint, the Bengaluru police don’t seem to think so. In a classic example of police apathy, Abhishek Bijay Mishra, a resident of BTM Layout was made run to five police stations to register an assault complaint after a gang of three Pulsar-borne men riding without helmet allegedly assaulted and abused him near EGL on Wednesday evening. It was only on Thursday morning, the software professional was able to register a complaint at Airport police station limit.
When Abhishek finally registered a complaint with Airport police station (law and order) and provided the registration number (KA01HJ7397) of the bikers to the police, it came to light that the pulsar-borne men are suspected to be misusing the number plate. When police investigated and tracked down the registration number they reportedly found that the number belonged to the owner of Honda Activa.
It all began on Wednesday evening around 6.30 when Abhishek, was returning from work from Old Madras Road and was heading home in BTM Layout. While he reached inner ring road near Dell building, three men on black pulsar began chasing him. “I was going on my way and was not even over-speeding or riding negligently. The three men riding without helmet came close to my bike from the left and began hurling abuses at me without any provocation. I slowed down my bike and asked them - what’s the matter?” told Abhishek B Mishra to this newspaper.
He further said, “They got aggressive and the second pillion rider slapped me in broad daylight while the other pillion rider and the rider continued with their abuses. I immediately stopped at a nearby signal next to the U-turn where a traffic cop was standing. He immediately signaled and asked me to call the control room. Meanwhile, one of the attackers, who was coming towards me to hit me sped away on seeing the cop,” added Abhishek.
But, the ordeal began when Abhishek who hurried to Koramangala police to register the complaint but he was shooed away from the station citing jurisdictional boundaries. After being directed to HAL when the harried citizen approached HAL, the police station officer allegedly asked him to contact Airport division police and didn’t register his complaint.
Speaking with DC, Abhishek said, “As the entire evening had been wasted running from one station to another I went home as I had to pick-up my daughter and again called control room to get the clarity on the police station to which they said I should approach Airport police. On Thursday morning I called airport police who again asked me to go to Ulsoor police station citing same jurisdictional reason. However, I immediately got a call back from police inspector Naveen Kulkarni from airport police station who assured me to come and meet him.”
But, when Abhishek reached Airport police station he learnt that it is Viveknagar police station where the plaint will be registered. As a dejected Abhishek was about to leave, Mr. Kulkarni came to his aid and registered his plaint. “Finally, it was Inspector Naveen, who came to my help and took my complaint. He asked me to give a written complaint and based on the number provided it came to light that the number is issued to some other person.”
Inspector Naveen Kulkarni told DC, “It is our job to take the complaint immediately. When I received a call from Mr. Abhishek I asked him to come and meet me and following that we registered the plaint. The case is under investigation and we are verifying about the pulsar bike and also trace the owner.”
A case is registered in Airport police station in this regard and probe is underway.
