A police sub-inspector (PSI) in Karnataka’s Haveri district was suspended on Wednesday, 28 December, after a 28-year-old lawyer filed a complaint against him
Lawyer Shivakumara Guteppa Talavar alleged that the PSI hurled casteist slurs after assaulting and intimidating him inside the Hanagal Police Station on Tuesday.
Talavar had reportedly gone to the police station to inquire about a complaint registered by his friend, who claimed he was allegedly assaulted over a road rage incident. However, the Hanagal police allegedly refused to accept his complaint.
Based on Talavar’s complaint, Haveri Superintendent of Police (SP) Hanumantharaya also ordered an internal inquiry on three other policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), who were allegedly a part of the incident.
“If during the inquiry it is revealed that the other policemen were also involved in the incident, action will be initiated against them,” a senior police officer of the Hanagal Police Station told South First.
The initial incident
Talavar recollected to South First that his friend, one Manjunath Barke, was heading to his native on his bike on Sunday, 25 December, when he was involved in a road-rage incident, in which he was assaulted.
Barke told Talavar that he was heading to fill more air in his two-wheeler’s tyres when he came face to face with a duo riding a bike on the wrong side of the road.
An altercation ensued, and the duo allegedly hurled abuses and started assaulting him.
“They were assaulting Barke right in front of the police, who arrived after a few passers-by called 112,” Talavar told South First.
The police reportedly took Barke to the local Hanagal Taluk Hospital for treatment, and told him they would catch the culprits.
The next day, Barke was discharged and went with his advocate to the police station, but the cops refused to take his complaint stating the PSI had gone for a meeting and was not at the station, said Talavar.
Barke returned to the police station alone in the afternoon and handed over his complaint. The cops, however, said his complaint was not in order, and asked him to draft it in a different way.
Given the redrafted complaint, the cops apparently said there was no content in it to take up the case, and that he could go.
Barke then called up his friend Talavar, who is a practising lawyer.
Lawyer alleges police inaction
On Tuesday, Talavar accompanied Barke to the Hanagal Police Station and explained the matter to the station house officer (SHO), who patiently listened to the incident and the issues at the police station, but asked them to wait until the PSI, Shreeshail Pattanashetti, arrived.
Soon after the PSI arrived, Talavar and Barke approached him and started to explain the issue. However, the cop started hurling abuses at Talavar, he told South First.
“When I told him (PSI) that I was an advocate and that he should address me with respect because I was giving him respect, he continued hurling expletives at me,” recalled Talavar.
“He said he would not change his behaviour. He then started insulting and humiliating me in front of the public,” he told South First.
When Talavar objected to his behaviour and took out his phone to call the PSI’s seniors, the cop charged at him and allegedly punched him repeatedly, he said.
“He punched on my head and neck, while hurling casteist slurs at me,” Talavar alleged.
“The incident was captured on the CCTV camera inside the police station, and I hope they (the police) will not tamper with the footage,” he added.
Talavar then resorted to a sit-in protest inside the police station and called up his lawyer friends to inform them of the situation.
A few of his lawyer friends turned up at the police station and approached the circle inspector, who in turn informed the Deputy SP and the SP.
Based on the direction of the SP and the DSP, the Hanagal police registered a complaint on Tuesday night against their own PSI Shreeshail Pattanashetti (30), police constable Bommanahalli, constable Honnali, ASI Kanavalli, and a few others.
All of them have been booked under Sections 323 (assault), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, and under a section of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015.
Incident takes political turn
Since the sections invoked against the PSI and others were non-bailable in nature, and there was no arrest by the police, the local taluk-level Congress leaders organised a protest.
Around 100 Congress workers gathered in front of the police station and started sloganeering against the cops.
They even spoke about the incident on a loudspeaker, addressing the public, and demanded that senior police officials come to the station.
When the matter started escalating, SP Hanumantharaya issued a suspension order for PSI Shreeshail Pattanashetti and ordered a departmental inquiry against the other policemen allegedly involved in the case.
“Only after the suspension of the PSI did the protestors disperse from the police station. However, the police showed their true colours by filing a counter-case against me under IPC Sections 353 (assault and obstruction of public servant/s from discharging their duties), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation),” Talavar told South First.
“If they (cops) were smart enough, they should have filed their case before mine, as that is why it is called First Information Report, and their case would not hold water in the court of law,” he added.
The police version of events
However, a senior police inspector told South First that the PSI had gone for a property parade in the morning, returning stolen valuables to their rightful owners, after which he had come to the police station to file an FIR on another accident.
When he was at work, the lawyer came to the station and abused the PSI and others for not doing their duties properly, alleged the inspector.
As the argument continued, the lawyer turned abusive and insulted and humiliated the cops in front of the public, stating they would only solve domestic problems and do nothing beyond that, claimed the inspector, adding that this irked the PSI and other cops.
As the altercation heated up, the lawyer made a ruckus at the station, the officer said, adding that this was why the counter-complaint was filed..
