Mumbai: Citizens take to assaulting cops for doing their duty

In a worrying trend that is uncharacteristic of Mumbai, 3 cases highlight how people no longer fear the law-keeping authorities and are not averse to taking the law into their own hands

Mumbai seems to be getting more violent every day, and it is losing its respect and fear for law-and-order and the officials in charge of maintaining it. Last week, three cases of police officials being assaulted while doing their duty came to the fore.

In all the three incidents, the citizens were in the wrong, but instead of owning up to their mistake, they resorted to violence. The police booked them, but the root of the problem is the lack of respect for the law. Retired top cops blame corruption for the worrying situation.

Female cop assaulted in police station
Police station: Nehru Nagar police station, Kurla (East)
Incident occurred on: Sunday, January 18
Number of accused: Four

Four individuals threatened, abused, and assaulted a female assistant police inspector inside Nehru Nagar police station in Kurla on Sunday. The group of people — Jubeda Mustafa, Nisar Mustafa, Febin Shaikh and Kadar Shaikh — were immediately arrested.

Senior Police Inspector Suresh Bhavar from Nehru Nagar police station said, “Their brother was brought to the police station in an accident case. He had accepted his fault and was being charged. Meanwhile, these four people suddenly arrived from their Wadala residence and started threatening the API, and later even assaulted her.”

Police booked the four relatives of the accused under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance) of the Indian Penal Code.

Constables threatened outside chowky
Police station: Mulund
Incident occurred on: Thursday, January 15
Number of accused: Two

On January 15, two constables, Shashikant Dere and Vijay Yadav, attempted to stop two men from urinating outside the B R Road beat chowky in Mulund (West). In response, The two goons brutally thrashed the two cops.

“Around 11 pm on Thursday, the two accused, Rajesh Kharat and Sandeep Kharat, were seen relieving themselves outside the Mulund police beat chowky. The two constables came out to stop them. Peeved, the two accused attacked the constables. The policemen were rescued when the locals intervened,” said a police officer.

The locals nabbed the duo and handed them over to the Mulund police officials. They were booked under relevant sections of the IPC. The two constables were taken to a hospital as they had sustained injuries.

Professor slaps traffic constable
Police station: Santacruz
Incident occurred on: Thursday, January 15
Number of accused: One

A 52-year-old professor in a college allegedly slapped a traffic constable in full view of traffic, after the cop told her to remove her parked car which had caused a kilometre-long traffic jam. “The accused had to visit a shop in Santacruz station, and so she parked her car on the road. This caused heavy traffic in the lane, as a bus passing by couldn’t find enough space to take a turn due to which the jam stretched to nearly a kilometre,” said a police officer.

When the woman finally came out of the shop, the constable asked her to immediately move her car and showed her the problem she had caused. Instead of being apologetic, the woman slapped the constable right on the road. The Santacruz police were informed immediately and a female police officer was dispatched to arrest the professor, who was booked under Sections 353 and 332 of the IPC.

Top cops say

Y C Pawar,
Former Joint Commissioner of Police, (Law and order)
The fear of the police is definitely decreasing and this is a fact. This is because there is a lot of interference in the working of the police. Looking at the attitude of the courts, human rights commissions, etc, citizens are getting the courage to raise their voices and hands against the ones appointed for their safety. If we intend to put an end to such situations, then corruption inside the force should be brought under control.

Julio Ribeiro,
Former Commissioner of Police
I think corruption is the main reason behind this, as people pay to join the police force; they even pay for cream postings. Such practices should be stopped. Due to corruption, people have started taking the police for granted.

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