The police are increasingly finding they are being targeted when on duty by common people.
Since 2009, at least 150 police personnel including a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police have been injured after being attacked during the course of their work.
DCP G. Ramesh and 65 other police personnel were injured during the unrest in and around the City Civil Court complex on March 2. Ulsoor Gate Women's Police Station Inspector Anjumala T. Nayak was allegedly roughed up by Anuja Pandey, wife of IAS officer Pankaj Kumar Pandey, at the m. Chinnaswamy Stadium gate on January 29, 2012.
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Police officials say they have become soft targets, especially for commuters. Earlier, people were scared to visit police stations. Now, they are assaulting the police personnel besides obstructing them from discharging their duties, said a Sub-Inspector of police who was injured in the March 2 violence.
Traffic police personnel too have not been spared. Since 2009, at least seven incidents of drivers/riders attacking the traffic police have been reported in the city.
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Night-time
Most of the attacks were reported between 9.30 p.m. and 1.30 a.m. “Usually the traffic police conduct checks against drunken driving at this time. The attacks happen when the drivers are asked to produce documents or cooperate for tests,” said a Sub-Inspector of police.
An officer, who has been part of at least 200 such checks around M.G. Road, Cunningham Road and CTO Circle, said they are routinely abused by young drivers and even foreign nationals,
Caught on camera
“On Wednesday night, the police were checking for drunken driving near CTO Circle. Two youngsters attempted to misbehave with the traffic police. We have filmed it. We have also seized their vehicle,” M.A. Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security), told The Hindu .
Assaulting police on duty is an offence and people should respect public servants, said M.C. Narayana Gowda, Additional Commissioner of Police (Administration).