Chennai: Three persons working in a media house had the taste of police harassment in the name of crime prevention when they were stopped by a woman sub inspector near Chennai police commissioner’s office in Vepery on Saturday night.
According to one journalist, who was a victim of police harassment, police personnel were summoning members of public randomly and treating them as if they are criminals running away after committing a crime.
The woman sub inspector threatened to detain two scribes when they failed to show their ID cards. Journalists told the police officer that they are not carrying it as they came out to have tea. She then said she has orders from the top to check the identity details of anyone who looked like a suspect.
“Because you looked like suspects, I can’t release you without seeing your ID cards,” she reportedly told the journos. She even called patrol vehicle to transport the ‘suspects’ in her hand. A senior police official, however, noted that there were no orders issued to detain people who do not carry an identity card. “If one does not have an identity card, the police can collect the mobile number and house address. There is no need for detention,” the officer added.
