It is your right to ask cops to show identification

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Officers of the Mumbai Crime Branch Unit IX have arrested a fake cop who along with five associates, had kidnapped and extorted money from a 26-year-old after threatening to book him for drug consumption. The suspect was arrested recently and officers identified his associates, too.

The modus operandi went like this. The complainant was at a bar with a female friend when a group of four men claiming to be police officers approached him demanding he accompany them. Telling him that they have found out that he had consumed drugs, they forced the frightened man to accompany them in an auto-rickshaw and them demanded money threatening him with legal action. He paid them a substantial sum. They had taken him for a Mumbai darshan in an auto rickshaw.

Young people, however frightened they may be, must start putting their questioning gears in motion. Cops or any person in authority needs to have identification on them. Inquiries are not done by taking people on rounds. In fact, one should strongly resist any demands of being asked to accompany people anywhere. If they were cops, they would take one to the police station at the most.

Be calm and start thinking when accosted like this. When there is a panic situation, the mind fails to work. This is the ploy used to frighten and befuddle the target to such a degree that he finds it difficult to think logically and will agree to any demand as fear threatens to overwhelm him.

If there is any suspicion of any impersonation it is better to call a support group, family, friends, co-workers who can also be present, so that you have someone with you. It is highly dangerous to accompany people in vehicles, around the city or elsewhere. Stay sharp and most of all, stay collected, alert and sceptical.